Cynthia Rogers Welker

Cindy Miller Rogers Welker was born on November 23, 1949 in Lake Village, AR and passed away on May 24, 2023 at St. Francis Medical Center surrounded by family and friends.

Cindy was a retired healthcare executive, with a career spanning 40 years in both clinical and leadership capacities. Her diverse career included multiple roles within the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, St. Francis Medical Center, St. Patrick’s Psychiatric Hospital, and related subsidiaries.

Her executive leadership positions included President/CEO of St. Patrick’s Psychiatric Hospital, Interim President of PACE Baton Rouge, President of St. Francis Medical Center Foundation, Vice President, and the on-site administrator for St. Francis North Hospital.

Cindy grew up in West Monroe, LA where she graduated from West Monroe High School.  She held a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Louisiana Monroe and a master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. She was certified in healthcare administration with Fellowship status in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). She was also certified in Catholic Healthcare through the Catholic Hospital Administrative Personnel Program of New York and was a licensed Board-Certified Social Worker in Louisiana as well as a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator.

Cindy participated at leadership levels in numerous professional organizations. She served many years in both the N.E. District and state board of the Louisiana Hospital Association (LHA). chair-elect of the Louisiana Hospital Association and chaired the Legislative Regulatory and Policy Committee. She was credited as the founding member of the Behavioral Health Constituency Group under LHA and past president of the N.E. District. She is active in the American Hospital Association (AHA) and was recently elected as a delegate to AHA’s Region 7 Policy Board.

Community and civic service was always a priority for Cindy.  She held current and past leadership roles in many organizations including Ouachita Council on Aging, ARCO, United Way, Cancer Foundation League, ULM Foundation, CASA, Communities Acting to Benefit Louisiana’s Elderly and Iberia Bank. She is a trustee and past chair of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce.  She was a mentor, a role model, and an inspiration to countless women in the community.   A founding member of the Cancer Foundation League in 2002 serving as one of the first Presidents, Cindy went on to develop the St. Francis Medical Center Foundation in 2012 working to continue the mission of caring for those most in need.  Cindy also continued to carry on the legacy of her very dear friend Kitty DeGree serving as President of the Kitty Degree Foundation which has and continues to provide financial gifts not only to both organizations but to other organizations like ULM and the NELA Children’s Museum to name just a few. Cindy was also a member of New Iona Presbyterian Church in West Monroe.

She was the recipient of multiple awards/recognitions including 1981 Outstanding Young Women in America, 1988 Ouachita Parish Woman of the Year, 1996 honored as founder of Communities Acting to Benefit Louisiana’s Elderly (C.A.B.L.E.), 2001 Monroe Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, 2003 Governor’s Recognition for her leadership in Emergency Preparedness for N.E. Louisiana Hospitals, 2009 American Hospital Association’s Grassroots Champion for Louisiana, 2015 Monroe Chamber of Commerce Rambin-Silverstein Lifetime Achievement Award, 2016 Louisiana Hospital Association Lifetime Achievement Award and 2018 ULM Women’s Symposium Legacy Award.

Cindy’s remarkable leadership and boundless compassion touched the lives of countless individuals, and her loss will be deeply felt by all who knew her. Her passion to help women, children and families and her lifelong list of accomplishments filled her heart, but she was happiest when she was at her home in West Monroe on the Ouachita River spending time with her wonderful family, friends, and beloved pets.  Cindy was married to the late Dennis Rogers for 45 years.  A few years later after his passing, she was reunited a life-long friend Pat Welker, who she married on Valentine’s Day 2022.  She was an amazing speaker, cook and flower arranger, and loved the holidays, gardening, and dancing, but most importantly, she lived for providing for those in need. Cindy never met a stranger and would never pass up a good cocktail party, boat ride, crawfish boil, BBQ, or fish fry! Her warm smile and lively personality were contagious.

She is preceded in death by her parents Charles and Irene Miller, sisters Charlene Barnes and Gail Miller Hayes, nephew Charles Guiterrez, and husband Dennis Rogers.  Those left to cherish her memories include her husband Charles Pat Welker, sister Karen Thompson, niece Bianca Hayes, brother-in-law Larry Barnes and wife Margot, and multiple nieces and nephews.

A very special thank you to all her countless friends for their unwavering love and support and to the St. Francis Medical Center physicians and staff for providing such wonderful care and comfort.  As we mourn her passing, we are reminded of her extraordinary legacy and the remarkable impact she had on the lives of so many. Cindy's dedication, vision, and unwavering commitment to the St. Francis Foundation have had an immeasurable impact on the community.

The family asks that visitation be observed at Mulhearn Funeral Home in West Monroe on Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 4:30 pm with a memorial service to follow at 5:30 pm.

Her passing leaves a void that will be hard to fill, but her spirit and dedication will continue to guide us as we honor her memory and continue her work.  In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Cindy’s honor to the St. Francis Medical Center Foundation (309 Jackson Street, Monroe LA  71201).