Terrence J. Rogers

Terrence J. Rogers passed away at the Volcano Cliffs Beehive Assisted Living facility on Friday, June 6, 2025, from complications resulting from double pneumonia. He and his fraternal twin brother, Jerry were born on March 16,1943, to Walter and Helen (Mezga) Rogers in Cleveland, Ohio.

Terry attended parochial schools through eighth grade and graduated from Parma High School in 1961. After working at various jobs for a couple of years, he decided to enroll at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. With help from his mom, Terry was able to earn his bachelor's degree in biology in 1968 and his master's degree in 1907. Due to the campus disturbance of 1970 he was able to finish on time and progress to his doctoral studies in entomology at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, in 1970. It was there that he met his future wife, Anita McBride. He also minored in botany.

When his first major professor, Jean Laffoon, passed away in 1973, Terry and two of his fellow doctorial students, Ray Miller and Bryan Stoltzfus, were able to cover the position. It fell to Terry to teach the entomology lab classes, which he thoroughly enjoyed. He spent a lot of time preparing his lectures and was very popular with his undergraduate students. One of his students, Dan Gable was not a very apt pupil, but went onto win an Olympic medal in wrestling and had a successful coaching career.

Terry received his Ph.D from Iowa State in 1975 and was offered a one year position editing publications for the USDA Forest Service in Washington, DC. From there he was able to secure a more permanent position in Alexandria, Pineville, Louisiana, also with the Forest Service.

In 1976 he and Anita were married in her home town of Zearing, Iowa, and then they spent three more years in Louisiana.

Then in 1979 Terry transferred to Albuquerque, New Mexico where he and Anita found the climate much more congenial. They enjoyed the cultural benefits of the Southwest, as well as not having to shovel snow in the wintertime.

Over a period of 30 years, Terry was asked to give a number of lectures on insects and diseases of the national forests. He enjoyed putting together slide shows for his audience, whether they were technicians or more scholarly individuals, and was appreciated for that as well as his corny "buggy" jokes.

In later years he became a featured speaker on the effects of fire on insects and diseases and was asked to speak at the National Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.

In 2009, Terry had triple bypass surgery and decided to retire. After his recovery, he enjoyed playing golf with friends from work as well as traveling with Anita. A few highlights included visiting Santa Fe and Taos, taking the Trans-Canadian Railway in 2011 and a river cruise in France in 2014.

Terry is survived by his wife, Anita; his sister, Rogetta (Mary Ann) Rogers of Strongsville, Ohio; and his brother, Jerry (Alice) of Dorset, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his parents, his aunt, Elsia Miazga, and his younger brother Wayne. Terry's family wishes to extend special thanks to the staff of Volcano Cliffs Beehive who took such good care of "Terr-Bear" during his final weeks.

Those wishing to make memorial contributions should contact KNME-TV or Animal Humane, New Mexico. Cremation has taken place and a celebration of life will be announced at a later time. Contact French Funerals for further information.