Norman E Rogers

Norman E. Rogers, age 94 years old, of Boise, Idaho, died Thursday, October 20th of pancreatic cancer at home with his family by his side. He is now reunited with the love of his life D. Marie Rogers. They met at school and fell in love immediately and were married on March 20, 1948.

Norman was born to Lawrence Lloyd and Irene E. Elizabeth (Morgan) Rogers on October 2, 1928 in McMinnville, Oregon. He had an older brother Lawrence Leonard Rogers (Bud). His father passed away soon after Norman was born. The family moved to the Boise area where his mother with the help of her parents raise her two sons. Norman’s first job as a young boy was working on his best friend’s family ranch for two summers. He learned to ride horses and decided he would never be a true cowboy like his uncle Einer who was a Texas Ranger and a big influence on Norm as a young boy.

He began driving delivery and furniture trucks at age 14 years old. When he was 18, he began working for various trucking companies. He worked several years as a logger in Lowman, and then began driving the logging trucks, which then lead to delivering fuel and supplies to many of the mining and logging locations in the Idaho Mountains. He worked for Union Pacific for 10 years delivering mail and supplies to Horseshoe Bend, Cascade, Donnelly, McCall, and New Meadows. He loved this job because of the many big game animals he saw on his travels. We had the best Christmas trees while he worked this route. On his oldest daughter’s birthday which is December 18, the family tradition was to decorate the family Christmas tree. So, a week before her birthday the family would ride into the mountains and cut a Christmas tree and bring it home in his 18-wheeler trailer. After leaving Union Pacific he began driving for Safeway Groceries where he worked for 23 years. He drove for ShopKo for a short time and then finished his career delivering mail between post offices for Matheson Transportation. He finally retired at age 79. He loved driving truck and said he missed it every day. He made many lifelong friends while driving truck.

Norman and Marie had four children, Danny Lee who passed away in 1967, Debra Lynn who lives in College Place, Washington, Gaylene Rae living in Boise, Idaho, and Timothy Lloyd living in Yellow Pine, Idaho. The family enjoyed camping, riding motorcycles, fishing, hunting, dancing, bowling, playing cards, and board games. He loved spending time in the mountains where he hiked, watched for birds and wild animals. He would always have a dog along for the journey. The family attended all sporting events the kids and grandkids were involved in. Later in life after his wife passed Norman lived at times with each of his children. He spent winters in Nevada with his oldest daughter Debbie and her husband Dan Alderson. He lived with his son Tim Rogers and his wife Ronda in Emmett and Yellow Pine, Idaho. And lived with his youngest daughter Gaylene Hunter in a retirement community In Boise, Idaho. There he loved playing cards, bingo, going to lunch, and walking with his many wonderful friends he met there.

Norman will be remembered mostly for his kindness. He had a contagious smile, always there when you needed him kind of guy. He was a hardworking man who provided for his family beginning at an early age while in middle school until he was 79 years old. He was proud of the fact that he was never without a job. Driving truck was his passion so he never really felt like he worked for a living. He was the best friend to his friends, a wonderful devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and never a stranger to anyone. He will be truly missed by all who were blessed to have him in their life.

His family and friends will always feel the void that remains in their hearts without him in the world. We are blessed to know he is joined in heaven with our loving mother, whom he loved all of their days. Norman and Marie’s love story will be remembered by the family not only by their behavior during life but because of the numerous love letters and poems they wrote to one another and saved for their children. What a wonderful life.

Norman is preceded in death by his loving wife, D. Marie (Lee) Rogers; his eldest son, Danny Rogers; his brother, Lawrence L Rogers; and his parents. He is survived by his children, Debra Alderson (Dan), Gaylene Hunter, and Tim Rogers (Ronda); seven grandchildren, Justin Alderson (Emily), Tyler Hunter (Gena), TeJay Rogers (Ashley), Danyell Leming (Cory), Dezeray Brockett (Alex), Denay Rogers, and Mercedezz Struck (Blake); and 13 wonderful great grandchildren, Trevor and Sage Alderson, Dominik, Dylan (Jessica), Destinee, and Danny Leming , Grace, Ella, and Grant Hunter, Addy and Corran Rogers, Evie Brockett, and Oliver Struck.

Both the viewing and graveside services will be held at Cloverdale Funeral Home at 1200 North Cloverdale Road in Boise, Idaho. The viewing is being held on Wednesday, October 26th between 5 and 7 pm in the Gibson Chapel, enter through south building, under the awning. The graveside service is at 11 am on Thursday, October 27th in Cloverdale Memorial Park, please meet at the graveside. In lieu of flowers you may donate to your favorite charity.