Roll Call Tribute

Published in (Fort Worth) Star-Telegram on July 13, 2018

Charles William Rogers
Charles William Rogers FORT WORTH -- Charles William Rogers, 89, passed away on Friday, June 22, 2018. SERVICE: A memorial service will be held 3pm Saturday, July 21, at the Fort Worth Boat Club. Charlie was born on July 1, 1928 in El Paso, Texas, the first child of Mildred Lillian Learmonth and Robert Clyde Rogers. He grew up in El Paso with his younger brother, Robert Clyde Rogers, Jr., better known as Billy. He graduated from Texas A&M with a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1949 where he also played clarinet in the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band. He earned a Masters in Engineering from SMU in 1965. Charlie worked at General Dynamics in Fort Worth and was principally responsible for developing a new light-weight material using Boron fiber, which was used in the tail of the F-11 fighter jet. He then worked at Bell Helicopter utilizing the same technology on the V-22 helicopter. Charlie was an avid sailor and a member of the Fort Worth Boat Club for over 50 years. He raced his own boat, Shazaam, across the Gulf of Mexico and took his family on numerous sailing adventures all over the world. The greatest gift he shared with his family was his willingness to embrace new experiences. He said, "Life is an adventure; you may not like it while it is happening but it will make for great stories afterward!". SURVIVORS: Survivors are his wife of 18 years, Elizabeth Humphrey Rudolph; her children Harry, Richard and Linda. Also surviving are the children of his first wife, Anita Philipp; Anne, Philip, Susan, Karen and Robert (Bob). Other survivors are the children of his second wife, Susan Bloom; Tracey, Kristen and Susie. 22 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren also survive.