Calvin Perry Rogers Jr., 95, of Tallahassee, Fla., and formerly of Mooresville, N.C., passed away on Monday, May 6, 2024, at Centre Pointe Rehab in Tallahassee.
He was born on February 23, 1929, in Jacksonville, Fla., to the late Calvin and Sarah Hurst Rogers. Mr. Rogers was a World War II veteran serving in the U.S. Navy. After the war he returned to Jacksonville, where he met Margie Brock. They married on August 6, 1949. He took a position with the Duval County Police; one of his favorite jobs with the department was working the Gator Bowl as a motorcycle cop.
In 1954, he rejoined the U.S. Navy, and was recommended by Admiral Hyman Rickover for training to join the Nuclear Power Program, where he became a nuclear engineer. He was a plank owner on the USS Enterprise. In 1973 he retired as a CWO 3 with many great memories that his career had provided for him and his wife and children.
Calvin went to work for Duke Power and was involved in the start up of McGuire Nuclear Station. He especially enjoyed recruiting young sailors leaving the Navy in San Diego to join Duke at the new nuclear plant in North Carolina. In 1985, he retired from Duke Power.
He joined his son as a partner at New Method Cleaners and remained there until 2002. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Mooresville for over 50 years. Calvin was active in the Baptist Men and he and Margie went on many mission trips; he was the construction worker and she was their cook. He was involved with Margie in the early organization of the Mooresville Soup Kitchen.
A few years after Margie’s death in 1997, her sister Bea introduced Calvin to Bobbie Rice. They were married on April 10, 2004. They enjoyed traveling together to her grandson’s baseball games all over the U.S. They attended Immanuel Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Fla., where they were very involved in their couples Sunday School class.
In his later years, Calvin loved his woodworking, his Florida Gators, working puzzles, and enjoyed a good mystery novel. He always looked forward to the frequent visits from his North Carolina loved ones!
He was blessed by God and was always grateful for those blessings!
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife of 47 years, Marge Rogers; brothers, Rab and Nace; and sisters, Essie Mae and Nettie.
He is survived by his wife, Bobbie Rice Rogers; children, Debi Laws (Sam) and Michael Rogers (Reba); adopted son, Tuan Minh Trinh; stepsons, Bob Rice (Sherry) and Doug Rice; grandchildren, Wendy King, Matthew King, Aaron Rogers (Siera), James Rogers, Clayton Rogers, Ethan Rogers (Liz), Bobby Rice (Deanna), and Ray Rice; great grandchildren, Jake Crnich (Muncie Indiana), Cassidy Crnich (Jorge), Courtney King, Caitlyn King (Alex), Gabriel Rogers, C.J. Rogers, Callie Rogers, and Rory Rice; numerous nieces and nephews.
A Graveside service will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 17, at Glenwood Memorial Park with Rev. Mark Pitts officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Mooresville International Mission Trip Fund, 150 S. Church Street, Mooresville, NC 28115 or The Salvation Army, PO Box 11209, Charlotte, NC 28220 https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/iredell/
Cavin-Cook Funeral Home & Crematory, Mooresville, is serving the Rogers family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.