The Rev. David B. Rogers, of North Egremont, died peacefully at home on November 1, 2016, while surrounded by family, after battling pancreatic cancer.
David was born in Springfield, Mass., on February 10, 1945. He was the son of Derwood B. and Anna E. (DeShane) Rogers. He graduated from Springfield’s Technical High School in 1963.
David joined the Navy in the fall of 1963. He was based out of Long Beach, Calif., and served in Vietnam as a radar technician aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Yorktown.
Returning to Springfield after discharge from the Navy, he settled down to civilian life in 1967. He met his beloved wife, Darleen, whom he married January 19, 1968. In January they would have been married for 49 years. He worked a variety of manufacturing jobs, including 12 years at Milton Bradley Company’s East Longmeadow and Springfield’s Federal Square locations, before turning to the ministry.
The family moved to Amherst, Mass., where David graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Arts degree with Individual Concentration in Human Behavior on September 1, 1985. The family then moved to Mendon, Mass., where he served the First Baptist Church of Mendon while attending Andover Newton Seminary. David graduated from Andover Newton on August 21, 1987, and was ordained as an American Baptist Minister on June 26, 1988 at the Mendon church.
In June 1989, the family moved to South Egremont where David was called to the North Egremont Baptist Church and the South Egremont Congregational Church, serving South Egremont for one year and North Egremont for five years. Feeling that the Berkshires were home, David settled permanently in North Egremont, while serving Berkshire churches: Housatonic Congregational Church and North Adams Baptist Church as Interim Minister, eight years at the Alford, Housatonic, and Great Barrington United Methodist Churches, and as supply at various churches. From February 1, 2015 until his death, David has been serving the Craryville, N.Y., and Copake, N.Y., United Methodist Churches in Columbia County, N.Y.
He is survived by his wife, the former Darleen B. Neuendorff, their son, David Rogers-Thieriot and his wife Amanda, their daughter Darlene Turner and her husband Doug, and two grandchildren; Camden and Charlotte Rogers-Thieriot. He is also survived by one brother and two sisters: Robert Rogers, a missionary in the Philippines, Judith Doel of Greenfield, Mass., and Carol Sicotte of Lakebay, Wash., as well as many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Rev. David B. Rogers will be Tuesday November 8th at 1 p.m. at the Craryville Methodist Church, Route 23, Craryville N.Y., with Pastor Kenneth S. Phesay officiating. Family will receive friends on Monday, November 7th from 4 to 6 p.m. at the BIRCHES-ROY FUNERAL HOME, 33 South St., Great Barrington MA 01230. Burial with Military Honors will be in Hillside Cemetery in Egremont. In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy in Rev. Rogers’ memory may be made to Pancreatic Cancer Research in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be made through birchesroyfuneralservices.com.