Obituary

Funeral services for Dale "Preacher" Rogers, 96, of Canyon will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church chapel in Plainview with Dr. Travis Hart officiating. Burial will be in Hale Center Cemetery under the direction of Brooks Funeral Directors of Canyon. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. today at Brooks Chapel in Canyon. Mr. Rogers died Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010, in Amarillo. Dale "Preacher" Rogers was born Feb. 25, 1914, in Erath County, Texas, to O.S. and Minkie Rogers. He was the second youngest of six children. He married Neoma Kiser on Jan. 11, 1947, in Hale Center, Texas. When Dale was 7 years old the family moved to Hale Center. All of his school years were in Hale Center schools, except one year when he and his sister, Delpha, went to Mayfield. Dale and Delpha went to school each day in a two-wheeled cart pulled by a little white donkey named Jude. Dale graduated from Hale Center High School in 1932. Dale got his nickname from his youth, and legend has it that he would gather the kids and "preach" to them from atop a box. The name stuck, and through his 43 years of employment with Higginbotham-Bartlett Lumber Company some people only knew him as "Preach" or "Preacher." Dale served in the U.S. Army during WWII under Gen. George Patton. He was a member of the 7th Armored Division and served in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1945. He received the EAMC medal-campaign medal with four bronze stars, two Overseas Service Bars, Good Conduct Medal, Service Stripes and the U.S. Army Meritorious Unit Award. He was preceded in death by his wife, Neoma; one son, Jerry Bob; three sisters, Dovie Maginnis, Ruby Radney and Delpha Bonds; and two brothers, Luther Rogers and Lynn Rogers. Dale was a quiet man, but anyone who ever met him instantly fell in love with him. He loved his family and sitting outside waving at everyone who went by. Dale always said, "The West Texas wind is the only thing that could kill me," and one week ago Monday, the wind blew him down going to the mailbox. Survivors include his son, Bill(y) Rogers and wife, Kathy, of Canyon; three grandchildren and their spouses, Chris and Ginger Rogers of Edmond, Okla., Kaci and Scotty Powers of Waco and Katy and Russ Barnett of Graham; and eight great-grandchildren, Thomas and Katy Rae Powers of Waco, Hope Barnett of Graham, Morgan Rogers of Amarillo, and Bailey, Corbin, Chase and Cameron Huxley of Edmond, Okla. Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Plainview where Dale had been a member for more than 50 years, 205 W. Eighth St., Plainview, TX 79072; or to First United Methodist Church, 1818 Fourth Avenue, Canyon, TX 79015.