Nelson "Wade" Rogers

Wade was born on September 8, 1942, to parents Willie and Nellie Rogers, and he grew up in the Reid community, graduating from Tanner High School in 1961, where he was a standout in both varsity football and baseball. He was also as able-bodied a farmhand as he was an athlete, often helping his father, Willie Rogers, in the snow white cotton fields of Tanner after school. Wade attended the Sunny Hill Church of Christ with his family.

After high school, Wade enlisted in the United States Army, completing basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and then serving his enlistment stateside, ultimately being honorably discharged. Wade’s military training came in handy a short time later, as he graduated from the Alabama Police Academy and joined the Madison Police Department as a patrolman in 1966. That same year, Wade met the love of his life, the former Wanda Sue Stanley of Roan Mountain, Tennessee, at the Monrovia Restaurant in Madison, when he sat down at a table in her waitress section. They quickly grew to fancy each other, falling in love and marrying in November 1966. Two short years later, in 1968, Wade was named both the Madison City Police Officer of the Year and Outstanding Peace Officer for the 8th District of Alabama. During this time, Wade also became the first Madison City Officer to train and maintain a full time K-9 unit, his German Shepherd partner Heiko.

In January 1969, Wade and Sue would welcome their only child, a son, Troy Nelson Rogers.

In 1973, Wade accepted a position as Security Officer at Engelhard, and was quickly promoted to Officer in Charge of Security. He excelled at his job, and was offered an opportunity by Engelhard to attend truck driving school and become one of the Huntsville branch’s inaugural silver nitrate drivers, a position he thoroughly enjoyed until his retirement in 1998.

Wade also realized early in his Engelhard career that he missed military life, so he enlisted with the Alabama National Guard, and he retired as an E6 Staff Sergeant, serving his entire career with the 1343rd Engineering Battalion, Headquarters Company. Being the consummate family provider and hard worker, Wade also worked part time on weekends for many years as a car salesman for Jack Yarber Ford of Athens.

Wade was a Christian husband, father, brother and friend, and he was actively involved with the Midway Baptist Church congregation for many years, attending with Sue until she succumbed to cancer in 1998, then for a period of time afterward until moving to Killen to be closer to his son Troy and daughter-in-law, Dr. Tamsie Coker-Rogers.

In later years, Wade was a member of the Lee Heights Baptist Church congregation in Florence.

Wade will be greatly missed, and his daughter-in-law Tamsie and “grandpuppy” Clementine were the apples of his eye. He lived his last 17 months bravely fighting Parkinson’s with dementia at Glenwood Rehabilitation Facility in Florence, where he enjoyed daily, extended visits with his son, his daughter-in-law, and his brother Donnie, as well as other family members and friends. The Glenwood staff became family members to the entire Rogers family during Wade’s stay as a resident, as the love, care and compassion shown to him by the staff was second to none.

Visitation will take place at McConnell Funeral Home in Athens from 6-8PM on Monday, August 6, 2018, and the funeral service will take place at McConnell Funeral Home on Tuesday, August 7 at 11 AM, with the burial/committal service to be held immediately thereafter in Roselawn Cemetery at McConnell. Donnie Rogers will officiate the service, and both Donnie Rogers and son Troy Rogers will eulogize Wade.

Wade is preceded in death by his wife, Wanda Sue Stanley Rogers, formerly of Roan Mountain, Tennessee; his parents, Willie and Nellie Rogers, of Tanner; a brother, Cecil Rogers, of Huntsville; and a sister, Hazel Brooks, of Athens. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Troy and Dr. Tamsie-Coker Rogers, of Killen; a brother, Donnie Rogers, of Elkmont, and a host of nieces and nephews.

Beloved family members Tony King, Mike Smith, Jerry Smith, Steve Rogers, Jimmy Rogers, Donnie Rogers and Troy Rogers will serve as pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which funds Parkinson’s research.

Donation Processing

The Michael J. Fox Foundation

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Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014