R. B. Buddy Rogers

R. B. "Buddy" Rogers, age 91, of West, passed away Monday evening, February 12, 2007 at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 1:00 p.m. at the Aderhold Funeral Home Chapel in West, with the Rev. Kevin Avery officiating. Burial will follow at Bold Springs Cemetery near West. The family will receive visitors Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Born May 24, 1915 in Waco, Texas to J.J. and Bessie Rogers, Buddy lived the majority of his life in the northern McLennan County community of Rogers Hill, named for his grandfather J.T. Rogers, who originally settled the area in 1864. He graduated from West High School in 1934. Buddy and his wife, Pauline, operated the store on Rogers Hill for 42 years before retiring in 1986. Buddy was a lifelong baseball fan. He recalled seeing Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees play at Katy Park in Waco in 1927 as a member of the "Knothole Gang". In his later years, he would often lie awake at night, listening to radio broadcasts of the Texas Rangers playing road games on the West Coast. He also had a great love for airplanes and automobiles, regularly attending races at the Heart O' Texas Speedway, where he served first as Driving Supervisor for Bohemian Bandit Racing in the 1960's, and later as Supervisor of Promoters in the 1980's. Buddy never met a stranger in his 91 years. He was quick with a story for those who frequented the store, or sat next to him at the races. He had instant recall of the faces and names of people he had not seen in 30 years. Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Pauline Rogers; one son, Richard Rogers and his wife Barbara; three sisters, Juanita Rogers, Mozelle Moore, and Marguerite Jones; four grandchildren, Richard "Arby" Rogers, Jr., Brady Rogers, Polly Flippin and her husband Jerald, and Katie Burcham and her husband Kent; six great-grandchildren, Ricky Rogers, Zachary and Mason Flippin, Brooke, Bailey, and Bradley Burcham; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Rudinger, Barbara Fisher, Kay French, and Mae Mounce; his life-long friends, Lucy McCartney and Evelyn Kettler; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. Pallbearers will be Richard Rogers Jr., Jerald Flippin, Kent Burcham, Gene Adamcik, Billy Thomas, Joe Belle, and Charlie Young. Memorials may be made to the West Volunteer Ambulance Association.