John Darien Rodgers' Obituary
John “Jack” Darien Rodgers passed away peacefully in his sleep, September 19, 2022. He was 85.
Born August 4, 1937 at home on Fishbach Street in Pottsville, Pennsylvania to Sam and Emily Rodgers, as a boy Jack enjoyed climbing trees, pretending to fly planes and playing war games with neighborhood kids. He attended Middle River school from 1st to 3rd grade and remembered listening to war news on the radio and the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt - watching the casket of the 32nd president draped in a black cloth, pass by on a train car, as he watched from a nearby field.
Jack would attend Pottsville High School football games with his father Friday night as a boy, and walked at times, more than a mile to school. That exposure to football would bloom into a passion for athletics and physical fitness that Jack carried with him all his life.
In junior high school, Jack played football and took his passion for the sport to high school, where he was a half back. He was a member of the student council and sang in the junior choir at the local Methodist church and in high school met his lifelong friend Jerry Malik.
Football was Jack’s ticket to the University of Delaware, where he received a scholarship to play under Tubby Raymond. He lived in Brown Hall, with Dave Bloodsworth and Tom Murray. He made many friends at the University of Delaware, like Wayne Smith, Bob Dunn and Dave Bloodsworth.
It was at the University of Delaware in 1958 where Jack met his wife, Alise Coverdale, whom he loved dearly. Pledging Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity as a freshman, early in their relationship, Jack and his fraternity brothers gathered around Alise’s window at Smyth Hall and sang to her as part of a pinning ceremony - they were engaged in November of 1959 and married for 62 years.
Jack was a member of the University of Delaware’s Reserve Officers’ Training Course and graduated in 1959 as a Second Lieutenant. He left for Army Transportation School in 1960 for an eight week program, before leaving for Fort Meade, Maryland to complete his training.
Upon returning to Newark from Fort Meade, Jack drove to North Wales to be in Jerry’s wedding to Sydney as best man. Jerry would serve as Jack’s best man, when he married Alise at the Newark Methodist Church on Main Street, August 13, 1960.
Jack had an illustrious military career, taking Army courses in Wilmington on the weekends while teaching Anna P. Mote in Marshallton. Alise would often pack him two lunches for his commute. He was a member of Wimington’s 7th infantry division, the 300th Transportation Group Headquarters Helicopter Maintenance Group and Indiantown Gap’s 28th infantry division. He fulfilled his military obligation in 1967 at the rank of Captain.
Jack taught 10th grade world history and 11th grade U.S. history, and additionally was the 7th grade football coach. He eventually moved to the high school’s coaching staff. Jack was the Social Studies Department chairman at Boyertown High School for several years and helped organize class trips to Washington, D.C. He taught a Civil Defense course to seniors and served as the President of the Teacher’s Association, where he helped negotiate teacher contracts.
Jack was an active member in his church, he and Alise serving as charter members of the St. Luke’s Methodist church in Boyertown. The church did not exist before Jack and Alise helped organize the congregation to meet at Fairview Chapel, where Jack taught Sunday School. He served as chairman of the administrative board at St. Andrew and later became chairman of the Council of Ministry. Jack and Alise helped organize weekend retreats and encouraged the congregation to form small groups which met at home on a monthly basis to discuss scripture.
In Oley, Jack enjoyed swimming in his pool, the hot tub and working in the garage where his family enjoyed hearing his joyful whistle as he tidied and puttered around. He passed on his love for the outdoors, fishing and hunting to his sons, Jack and Mark, who would often use their backyard as a starting point for their outdoor activities.
In 2001, Jack and Alise moved to Rehoboth Beach, and spent their winters in Naples, Florida and made many friends including Richard and Eva, who invited the couple to their home country of Germany. Jack and Alise spent time touring several countries in Europe, including Paris and parts of Wales. In Rehoboth, Jack was a member of the Epworth United Methodist Church, Schuylkill Historical Society, the Sussex County Genealogy Society and the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society.
Jack was a warm, compassionate man who always put his family before himself. He was eager to lend a helping hand to complete strangers and shared whatever wisdom or advice he could at every opportunity. He selflessly gave to his church, family and alma mater and will be deeply missed by his family and community.
Jack leaves behind his beloved wife, Alise Rodgers, sons John “Jack” Rodgers II, wife Kathy and Mark Rodgers, wife Amy and grandsons Brett Rodgers and John “Jack” Rodgers III.
A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 11:00 AM, at Epworth United Methodist Church, 19285 Holland Glade Road, Rehoboth Beach, DE, where freinds may visit beginning at 10:00 AM. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Azheimer’s Disease Research online at brightfocus.org/stopAD, or checks to the fund can be made payable to Alzheimer’s Disease Research at 2251 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg Maryland 20871. Additionally, donations can be made out to Epworth United Methodist Church at 19285 Holland Glade Rd., Rehoboth Beach, DE, or the University of Delaware, at UD Gifts Processing, 83 E. Main Street, 3rd Floor, Newark, DE 19716. Donors can write “IMO Jack Rodgers” in the memo line.
Please sign the virtual guestbook locate on the tribute page.
FLORIST NOTE: PLEASE DELIVER ALL ARRANGEMENTS BY 3PM MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022, TO OUR LEWES LOCATION.
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