Shirley Roberta Rogers

Shirley was born on June 7, 1926, at the old Namaqua Hospital in Loveland, Colorado, to Harold Cecil Sutton and Georgia Edith Marie Birdsall Sutton. She attended grade school at the Big Thompson School west of Loveland. When she completed 7th grade, her family moved to Estes Park, where her father and mother owned and operated a produce stand and later built and operated a grocery story. Shirley and her two brothers worked in the store after school and during the summer. Business flourished as it was at the time when the Big Thompson Diversion Tunnel was being built.

After graduation from Estes Park High School in 1944, Shirley attended the University of Denver, where she majored in Business. She was dissatisfied with her major and planned to transfer to Colorado A&M to take up Interior Design after working for a year. However, plans changed when an Air Force officer she had known since childhood—Chester Lee Rogers, Jr.—came to visit her and proposed. (Shirley and her parents were visiting her paternal grandparents in Roseburg, Oregon, at the time.) Both Shirley and Chet were very sure that they were meant to be life companions, so they were married right away on November 9, 1946, without waiting for a big wedding at home.

While Chet served as a B24 navigator in the Pacific Theater during World War II, Shirley remained the faithful wife at home. Upon returning from war, Chet began to attend Colorado A&M College but was called back into service for a short time. Once Chet returned home for good, they both pursued various jobs and occupations, before Chet returned to college to complete his Master’s degree. They then moved to Denver and spent five years there, working for the U.S. and State Departments of Agriculture. At that point, they purchased a farm in Waverly (near Wellington), Colorado, and moved out of the city to live in the country for the next 20 years, raising a family, livestock, and farming/dairying.

Over the years, Shirley worked for various employers—Travelers Insurance, Colorado A&M Agronomy Department, Safeway, Forneys, and Neo Data. When they gave up farming, they moved in to Fort Collins for a brief period, before finally settling back into the town of Wellington. At that time, Shirley was the office manager for her husband, who was a United Farm Real Estate broker. After Chet passed away, Shirley continued to live in Wellington with her kitty and pal, “Edie Lee,” until February 2015 when her health wouldn’t allow her to live there any longer.

At this time, she is survived by her sons Ben Rogers (wife Jo), Harold Sutton (wife Tina), Charles Rogers (wife Judy); daughter Janna Ruck (husband Ron); several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Luella Sutton; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Chester Lee Rogers, Jr.; her brother, Harold Edwin Sutton; and her parents and grandparents. Her brother, Roy Sutton, passed away shortly after her death.

Shirley was always busy with many activities, interests, and helping others. She was a member of the LaPorte Presbyterian Church and a member/held various offices in the Daughters of the American Revolution, Farmers Union, Beta Sigma Phi Extension Club, and Disabled American Veterans. She also did volunteer work and served on the Executive Board of the Wellington Senior Center. She enjoyed decorating her home through the seasons and holidays, painting, doing all kinds of crafts, helping with children’s 4-H projects, and teaching Sunday school.

Even though her last year was a very trying time of pain—going through two hospital and rehab stays, moving from her long time home in Wellington to independent living, and then finally to assisted living—she continued to grasp onto life and touch the hearts of those around her. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.