Edna Lee Rogers

Edna Lee Rogers, lifelong resident of Monroe, LA, passed away Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Stoneybrook Memory Care Home in West Monroe, LA at the age of 91.

Edna was born September 29, 1930, to Edna Ozelle Scott and Lee Leaphatte Thompson in Monroe, Louisiana. Edna Lee grew up in a godly household where she was instilled with self-reliance, independence, creativity, and an untiring work ethic attested to by all who knew her. She often said that she wanted to always be generous and creative and never to be wasteful, lazy, or stupid. As a girl she studied and enjoyed dance, piano, and painting. As an adult she inculcated the love of music and art in her children and grandchildren. She attended Monroe City schools and graduated from Neville High School. Like her mother, she was devotee to the Baptist WMU (Women’s Missionary Union) where she hosted or attended regular “circle meetings” for Bible study and support of missionaries. Edna Lee was a Charter Member of College Place Baptist Church where her dad, Lee Thompson, is identified on the Sanctuary’s cornerstone as Chairman of the Building Committee. At College Place, she influenced generations of “young-uns” as Sunday School Director over 5-year-olds. “Mrs. Edna” later became a loyal and active member of Highland Park Baptist Church. Her Christian lifestyle was a model for her family and society.

Most significantly, on January 18, 1947, in Mer Rouge, LA, Edna Lee promised to take Roberts Rogers, Jr. to be her lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, for richer or poorer, cleaving only unto him for as long as they both shall live. This life-long adventure of nearly 75 years knew very few bounds-geographically, mechanically, or creatively. They flew to Havana-pre-Castro, Rome and Athens. They traveled in their RV around the entire U.S. They visited or camped in most of the National Parks; and they viewed several Space Shuttle and other launches from the Cape. They owned (and repaired) cars, trucks, tractors, airplanes, RVs, lawnmowers, cotton pickers, combines, highboys, bushhogs, and nearly every farm implement. They dug a swimming pool, built a sprinkler system, put on a hayride and Halloween party, held annual neighborhood primitive camping/hunting trips, built an addition to their home, decorated a winning homecoming float, cared for aging parents, prepared, and hosted family events during the holidays, birthdays, and weddings. Family Christmas gatherings and Easter Egg hunts were particularly spectacular. In their travels they accumulated a Gem and Mineral collection which they donated to ULM for display. They cultivated their home landscape into a flower garden fit for “Southern Living” from which they generously gave plants to whomever would take them. They also raised a vibrant family. She was “mom” to daughter, Edna Renea Joiner (Wayne), and sons, Charles Vernon Rogers (Judy), Ryan Lee Rogers (Mary), and Robert Mark Rogers (Kailey). She was “Grandmother” to thirteen; Kelli, Blake, Ben, Laura, Maureen, Matthew, DeNaya, Andrew and Willow Rogers; Andrea, Adrianne, Audra, and Adam Joiner; and she was “Ma” to a plethora of great grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her husband, parents and brother, Wesley Murrell Thompson.

Our family would like to thank Lisa Hughes, Connie Culpepper and the entire staff at Stoneybrook Memory Care Center. A big thank you to Annette Branco and staff at Ascend Hospice Care for the exceptional care they provided to our mother. Also, we certainly would like to thank Alice Harris who lovingly visited with and assisted Mom with meals many times the last three months. We could not have asked for more caring, compassionate people who assisted us through difficult time.

Funeral services for Mrs. Edna Lee Rogers will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, August 25, 2022, in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home Sterlington Rd., Monroe, LA, with Dr. Ben Rogers and Rev. Larry Linson officiating. Interment will follow in Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery in Monroe, LA. Visitation will be held from 9:30 A.M. until time of service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Highland Park Baptist Church, Pilots for Patients, or Samaritan’s Purse.