Dr. Robert W. “Bob” Rogers
Dr. Robert W. “Bob” Rogers, 81, of Starkville, MS went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, January 3, 2020 at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, MS surrounded by family and friends, following a lengthy battle with cancer. Visitation will be at Welch Funeral Home on Monday, January 6, 2020 from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm. A service to the glory of God in celebration of Bob’s life will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, January 7, 2020 at the Osborn Community Church, 1272 Adams Lane, Starkville, MS, with a graveside service and burial conducted by his wife, the Rev. Dr. Bernice Rogers, on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at 10:00 am in the Rogers family plot at the Pleasant Run Cemetery in Russellville, KY handled by Young Funeral Home of Russellville, KY.. Rev. Dr. Bernice S. Rogers , Bob’s wife, will conduct the funeral service in Starkville and in Russellville, KY.. He was the youngest child of Enlow and Maggie Rogers of Russellville, KY. He was proceeded in death by his parents, his first wife, Mary Demas and his second wife, Lucretia “Lou” Jones, his daughter Lydia Rogers Miller, his sisters Lillian Loraine Rogers, Mary Louise Milliken, Bess Porter Summers and brothers George Earl Rogers, Roy Enlow Rogers, James Phillip Rogers, David Taylor Rogers, and Paul T. Rogers.
He is survived by his wife Dr. Bernice S. Rogers; a son Ronald W. Rogers of Jackson, MS; daughter Linda Rogers Fowler (Frank) of Katy, TX; grandchildren Sarah Kate and Mary Elizabeth Fowler of Katy, TX; step children Mack Adams (Lynne) of Terre Haute, IN, Keith Elder (Ellen) of Hattiesburg, MS, Amanda Vaughan of Indian Trail, NC, Tonia Botts (Tom) of Indian Trail, NC, and Sonia Lovelace (Heath) of Guntown, MS : step grandchildren Laura England and Brittany Mott of Terre Haute, IN; Dalton, Preston and Ashton Lovelace of Saltillo, MS; Joshua Childress and Mary Alix Botts, of Indian Trail, NC, John Hamilton and Russell Vaughan, of Indian Trail, NC. He also leaves numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was a graduate of the University of Kentucky (BS, MS and PhD), member, Elder, Clerk of the Session, Moderatorof the Session, and Treasurer of the Osborn Presbyterian and Community Church. He was Professor Emeritus of Animal and Dairy Sciences and Food Science and Technology and Director Emeritus of the Food Science Institute at Mississippi State University where he taught the following classes (meats processing, meat science, meat judging, meat animal evaluation, selection evaluation and use of meats, food law, food packaging, food plant management, and Food Science Seminar) and received several awards during his 41.5 years as a faculty member. Those awards were outstanding faculty member for teaching and research by the MSU Alumni Association; the MSU Ralph E. Powe research award for outstanding research accomplishments; the American Meat Science Association’s Award for distinguished accomplishments in extension and industry work, the American Meat Science Association’s Signal Service Award for outstanding service to the meat industry and to the association; the National Association of Meat Purveyors Educators Award; he was also a Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association Hall of Fame member; and received the Alpha Gamma Rho Brothers of the Century Award.
He has also served as a consultant on meat processing and food safety for numerous meat and food processing companies throughout the US. From 1980 to 1986 he was also the Director of the USDA Meat Grading and Certification School at MSU where all USDA meat graders in the US were trained. He also taught Critical Control Point Processing at North Texas State University for USDA food safety inspectors for several years on a part time basis. He and one of his graduate students invented the “fat free hot dog” and “fat free bologna”. He also developed the method used by the commercial catfish processing industry to skin the fish. He was also the author of numerous scientific articles and book chapters and directed over 50 graduate students for their masters or Ph. D. degrees at MSU. He had also served 10 years as a bailiff in the Oktibbeha County Circuit and Chancery Courts following his retirement from MSU.
He was active in numerous organizations throughout his career such as the American Meat Science Association (Director), the Institute of Food Technologists, Magnolia Section of the Institute of Food Technologists (Founding member and President) the American Society of Animal Science, American Registry of Professional Scientists (Director), the American College of Animal Food Science (President), Alpha Zeta ( Chancellor and faculty advisor), Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity (house manager, pledge trainer and faculty advisor), Alpha Gamma Rho Alumni Association (President), Mississippi Beef Council (President and Director), U. S. Meat Export Federation (Director), Mississippi Meat Packers Association (Executive Secretary), Block and Bridle Club (faculty advisor), Food Science Club (faculty advisor), East Oktibbeha County Volunteer Fire Dept. (Director), Mississippi State University Faculty Senate (Secretary and Chair), Sigma Xi, Mississippi Board of Animal Health (Director) and a member and President of the Oktibbeha County Hospital Board of Trustees.
Pallbearers will be Tim Armstrong, Mike Martin, Byron Williams, Don Janes, Jack Jones, Ross Reed, John Hamilton Vaughan, and Heath Lovelace. Honorary pallbearers Vern Ammon, Noel Hall, Richard Forbes, Jimmy Linley, Tom Althen, Jim Cannon, James Cannon, and Russell Vaughan.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Osborn Community Church (mailing address) 40 San Marcos Dr. Starkville, MS 39759, Palmer Home for Children P.O. Box 746, Columbus, MS 39703, or to the MSU Development Foundation P. O. BOX 6149, Miss State, MS 39762 for the Dr. Robert W. Rogers Endowed Scholarship.