Obituary of Geral Deen Rodgers

Geral Deen Rodgers was born in Utica, Montana, October 7th, 1923. He was the 7th of 8 children born to Russell and Cora Rodgers. He passed away at the age of 98 on Friday, November 5th, 2021 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham. He resided in Shelton all of his adult life. Geral grew up in Utica, Montana on a ranch where, as a boy, he herded sheep, did fencing, harvested wheat, along with many other farm chores. He attended the Pig Eye school until 8th grade often going by horse and buggy. The Rodgers homesteaded 140 acres which later expanded to 1000 acres. For basic goods, they bartered and sold cream, wheat, chickens, turkey, eggs and moonshine which they hid in the manure pile so the feds wouldn’t find it. Throughout his childhood they had no electricity or plumbing using oil and kerosene lamps. On Saturdays, the family listened to the Grand Ole’ Opry on their battery-operated radio. Working for other ranchers, he earned $15 a month. In 1941 he left Montana following the rest of his family to Shelton. During World War II at the age of 20, President Roosevelt “invited” him to join the army. After basic training, he was shipped to LaHavre, France with the 89th Division, and trekked across France to Germany liberating the Nazi concentration camps Ohrdruf and Buchwald. In Austria he had a great job of operating a 50 line telephone switch board. On June 28th, 1944 he married June Chesley in Shelton. They had 2 sons, Jerry and Jim. Geral and June lived in Shelton from 1941 and on Island Lake for 62 years. He built their first home on Mt. View and later he and sons dug out the basement by hand. He was never afraid of hard work. He and June grew a large garden every year and canned and froze lots of vegetables and fruit. They traveled to Hawaii, Alaska, North & South Dakota, California, Arizona and in their motorhome to mid-west parks. After the army, Geral used the GI Bill to get his private pilot’s license. Along with his brothers Vee and Luther, he owned and operated Rodgers Brothers’ Garage, often going out in the middle of the night with the wrecker to the scene of an accident. After 20 years at the Garage, he went to work for Rayonier, then PUD, retiring in 1977 due to a disability. He was active in the local American Legion and served as the commander for a year. Geral loved country music and dancing. He enjoyed his daily 3 mile walk around Island Lake, visiting along the way with a parade of neighborhood dogs in tow. He was often referred to as “the Mayor of Island Lake”. Hobbies included: making homebrew, smoking salmon in his self-built smokehouse, growing horseradish, butchering his own meat, repairing vehicles, and building things such as cider presses, a log splitter, a ski boat, etc… He had a collection of parts and tools, never throwing anything away in case he or someone else needed them. The garage was a favorite hangout where he would tinker with his metal lathe. Geral loved helping others with any kind of project. In 20­­16, Geral was privileged to go on the Honor Flight for WWII vets back to Washington D.C. escorted by his grandson, Jim. Another highlight was going ‘back home’ to Montana with his grandson Jim, and great-grandson, Luke where they stayed in his childhood farmhouse. He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, June of 69 years, son, Jim, grandson, Jason, and 6 siblings all of Shelton: Vetrus, Luther, Hattie, Fannie Mae, Whitley, and Russell. Geral is survived by his sister, Freda Schnitzer of Shelton, his son, Jerry (Sandy) of Marysville, daughter-in-law Lynn of California, 4 grandchildren (Jim, Kelly, Jaime, Jenae) and 11 great-grandchildren. In 2020, to be near family and care, Geral was moved into Olympic Place Assisted Living in Arlington, WA and sold his beloved Island Lake home. He was a man of many talents and has been longing to be reunited with his precious wife, June, since her passing November 20th, 2013, exactly 8 years ago today.