The Rev. Danny Wayne Rogers, Sr., 78, of Millbrook, AL, died on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, after a brief illness.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, Nov. 20, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Millbrook First United Methodist Church. Funeral services will follow, beginning at 2 p.m. at the church with the Rev. Jerry May officiating.
Interment will be held Saturday, Nov. 24, beginning at 11 a.m. at Liberty Cemetery in Mulberry Grove with the Rev. Jeff Hemken officiating. Brookside Funeral Home of Millbrook, AL, is in charge of arrangements.
Rev. Rogers was born March 16, 1940, in Selma, AL. He married Joy M. in January 1978, and she survives.
He served in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Vietnam as part of the 46th Ordnance Detail in 1966 to 1967. Upon his return home to Alabama, he worked at American Can Company in Bellamy, AL, before feeling a strong call to ministry.
Rev. Rogers began his journey to a life of ministry at Baptist Bible Institute (now the Baptist College of Florida) in Graceville, FL. It was at BBI where he met the love of his life, Joy.
Still feeling God’s call to ministry, he continued his education thereafter, earning a bachelor’s degree from Livingston University in 1981, a master of divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1984 and a master of religious education from NOBTS in 1986. Throughout this time, he continued to pastor churches in Alabama and Mississippi, and also worked for the Salvation Army for a time.
Rev. Rogers pastored United Methodist churches in the Northern Arkansas Conference, including churches in Batesville, Greenbrier, Horseshoe Bend, Marianna, Springdale and Little Rock.
Following his retirement from full time ministry in 2004, he served as the Minister of Visitation at First United Methodist, Millbrook, AL. He was much beloved by his congregations, and in turn, he served and loved them with an abiding passion for Jesus Christ and the Word of God.
In addition to his abiding love of God’s church, Rev. Rogers loved Alabama Crimson Tide football and basketball, eating at Cracker Barrel and visiting with those who were sick or lonely.
He was always good at finding the right words to say to those in distress and those who needed a friend. He was never afraid to cry, whether for sadness, joy or pride, and he was never happier when learning of some accomplishment or some good news about someone he loved. He will be missed by all who knew him, most of all by his loving family.
In addition to his wife of 40 years, Rev. Rogers is survived by a son, Danny Wayne (Lauri) Rogers, Jr. of Birmingham, AL; a stepson, Alan (Carol) Berry of Hillsboro; two sisters, Betty (Gary) Burden of Selma, AL, and Carolyn Stock of Pleasant Hill, MO; three grandchildren, Sarah Rogers of Washington, D.C., Joel (Brittany) Rogers of New York, NY, and Justin Rogers of Nashville, TN; and one great-grandchild, Skylar Gilbert of Louisville, KY.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Millbrook First United Methodist Church, 3350 Edgewood Road, Millbrook, AL 36054.
Online condolences to the family may be left at www.brooksidefuneralhomeal.com.
