Katie L. Rodgers' Obituary
Katie L. Rodgers passed away on Monday, May 23, 2022…just 37 days shy of her 100th Birthday. She was a devoted wife and mother and will be missed as well by the many other lives she touched as “aunt”, “friend”, “mother-in-law” and any number of other characterizations related to her large, extended family and circle of friends. To know her is to take joy in her generous, warm, kind and giving nature and to grieve the absence of the caring manner she demonstrated in all the lives she so genuinely and unselfishly touched.
Born on June 29th, 1922 in the shadow of World War I and on the eve of the Great Depression, Katie was the youngest of the six children of Thomas “Ping Pa” Lynam and Ella Mae Thomas, whose final breaths were taken bringing Katie to life. She was raised and worked, hard, on the family farm outside her birthplace of Delhi, Louisiana, among the towering Cypress trees and bayou country in the flood plains of the lower Mississippi River valley, and a stone’s throw from the battlegrounds of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
After high school she attended Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (“Tech”) where her father had planned for her to follow in the footsteps of her sisters and become a teacher. Unsurprisingly, Katie had other ideas and left Tech, setting her sights on further adventures, beginning 150 miles to the west. So, in the 1940s and as a member of “the greatest generation“, she worked in a munitions plant near Shreveport, Louisiana…a regular “Rosie the Riveter” doing her part in the collective effort to win World War II.
Following the war, she continued farther west to Dallas, Texas where she met Luther “LC” Rodgers when they both worked at Grapette Bottling Company. They married in 1950 and a year later LC was drafted by the army for the Korean War. Courtesy of Uncle Sam, the couple made several moves from coast to coast (to coast) where Katie always found what she called “good jobs” as she followed Luther’s postings around the country. She was a waitress, switchboard operator, dispatcher, office manager, personal assistant (she called it “Girl Friday”). Her favorite location was when they were stationed in Anchorage, Alaska, during which she accumulated many fun and fond memories about moose, dog sled races and never growing accustomed to the midnight sun. And she was impressed that everyone, wherever she went, was always so nice to her. (Could it have been because she was so easy to be nice to?)
Upon completing his army commitment, LC and Katie returned to Dallas, settled in their new home in what was then a rural area known as Pleasant Grove, and started their family. After Kathy was born, Katie returned to the workforce at Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company where, over the course of 25 years, she built a career and lifetime friendships which she continued to maintain while coordinating social activities and reunions with her fellow retirees.
Katie’s affinity for all sorts of animals…especially her passionate love of her loyal and numerous canines over the years…was legendary. People, INCLUDING her veterinarian, joked that if there was such a thing as reincarnation, they wanted their next life to be spent as Katie’s dog.
As compassionate as she was towards animals, Katie was also a gracious hostess and an outstanding cook with a love for gardening, baking, canning, and…true to her farm roots…sharing her crops and creations with friends and neighbors. In addition to music (Big Band, Cajun, Ragtime, Motown and of course Elvis) and playing dominoes (when time allowed), following retirement she also enjoyed beach and lake trips, hosting pool parties, good dining, and good friends. And family gatherings were annual treats for her where she especially loved watching the antics of the children and visiting with her peers.
An avid and vociferous Dallas Cowboys fan for decades, she could be heard shouting “Go! Go! Go!” at the television. She genuinely believed it would help the team, and seldom did she miss watching a game, whether it be Sunday, Thursday or Monday. Or Thanksgiving. Or, when the Cowboys were involved, the playoffs and, of course, Super Bowl Sunday.
Even in her later years she greeted each new day with interest, appreciation, and awe. Simple pleasures: fresh flowers on the table or birds outside the window would bring a smile to her face or a whispered and excited “Oh! Look!” as a Hummingbird darted into view. The unexpected human guest would be the frosting to the cake of her day, demanding the sudden appearance of a tray of snacks, a hot meal, a cold drink, or a cup of coffee along with a welcoming “Set a spell” and, no matter how brief or lengthy the visit, “Come back when you can stay longer!”
Katie is preceded in death by Luther Rodgers, her husband of 65 years, and all her siblings…Annie, William, Ethel, Mae, and Thomas Jr., as well as the other family members of her generation, except one, as well as many of her friends. She is survived by her beloved daughter, Kathy, and her husband Tom….”who she thought the world of” (Kathy’s words)…her brother-in-law Ozzie and his wife Shirley and many, many nieces, nephews, and other extended family.
A quote from a TV character best sums up Kathy’s feelings about her mother: “Mom was everything to me. Parent, teacher, best friend. I can’t imagine a world without her in it. She was always there with a kind word, a hot meal, and a shoulder to cry on. Not just for me but for anyone who knew her.” (Including, especially, for Kathy’s childhood friends who loved to hang out at Katie’s house.) This was also true to her last day, with even her caregivers observing on each visit how sweet and caring she was.
Katie would not want us to be sad about her passing, but to celebrate the life she lived. She would want everyone to be happy, healthy, and enjoy every day. We are truly grateful for Katie’s presence in our lives and the sustaining memories she left us. Her memory can best be honored with a smile, doing a good deed, being kind. And eating dessert. First.
A visitation for Katie L. Rodgers will be on Sunday, June 5 at 1:00 PM with funeral services to follow at 2:00 PM. Arrangements have been faithfully entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery, which is located at 13005 Greenville Ave., at the intersection of Restland Road, Dallas, Texas 75243, and can be reached at (972) 238-7111 and restlandfuneralhome.com. Flowers are welcome, or donations can be made in Katie’s name to the SPCA, National Audubon Society or American Lung Association.
What’s your fondest memory of Katie?
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Share a story where Katie's kindness touched your heart.
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