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The family of Richard Rogers uploaded a photo
Friday, September 30, 2022
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Eileen Quintana posted a condolence
Monday, September 6, 2021
That was a beautiful service! I shared the link with my children and watched the service with my girls. I enjoyed hearing the stories about dad as a young man, and how he impacted the lives of his children, grandchildren and all the fortunate people who crossed his path. I know the trajectory of my life†™s path was altered forever because of the time I spent in my foster mother and father, Verona and Richard Roger†™s home. I was 13 - 14 years old, going into the eighth grade the first year I came to live with the Rogers family. As many foster youth that age feel as they transition into young adulthood, I felt alone, vulnerable, anxious about the household I was sent to live with, in the placement program. Here is a brief summary of my years prior as a child in foster care. I was baptized and registered by missionaries at the age of 8 when I entered the Mormon placement program. I had already spent 6 years in foster care with two different families, three years living with each. The months of June and July every year were spent with my biological family on the Navajo reservation, so my world consisted of adapting and surviving the place and household I happened to be in. I was young, stubborn and felt lost and alone in an ever changing world of trying to fit in. I think the year I came to live with the Rogers family was 1973/1974. I remember the †œfeel†� of this home, it was busy, a constant stream of daily activities that mom and dad handled to keep up with all the children. It was a hap hazard, chaotic, finely tuned orchestrated symphony. You know when attending a concert early, you hear all the orchestra members tuning and practicing different music pieces on their instruments before a performance starts, the sound of various instruments all at once tuning, the pushing of chairs, the rustle of sheet music -all of the bustle of getting ready. Then as the concert starts you hear the beautiful music carefully practiced, orchestrated and delivered with precision, harmony, unity. That is how I would describe the family. Mom and dad worked as a solid team to care for all of us. How they were able to finance; housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, school fees and supplies to meet the needs of each individual was/is astounding to me to think about today. I remember the cute bedroom I shared with sweet Heather, who thankfully put up with me, she survived the teasing, bossy antics of a young Navajo girl, I do believe she deserves a Purple Heart! I remember Melanie as †œMem†� she was beautiful and so grown up, a senior in high school if my memory is correct, I especially remember her cool clothes and make-up! LaRue†™s room was close to our bedroom, I remember her witty personality, she was smart independent, always studying, and very busy. The boys were all a constant motion of activity, cub-scout, school projects and hobbies for all of them. I loved playing with my little brothers and remember the simple daily interactions with each of them. This was the first time I had ever felt like a true member of a family. They accepted me as one of their own, with no distinction or difference from the way they loved, nurtured or disciplined their own children. I felt that belonging and sense that I was safe to be me with them. That was a profound revelation for me. It changed the way I looked at myself and how I needed to acknowledge and accept myself. Their love and constant reassurance that they would always love me meant everything to the lost girl who thought she was always going to be a team of one against the world. It was the solid foundation I needed to stand upon. I will always be grateful for that, and as the years unfolded after that, I always told my mom and dad when we spoke †œthank you†� and how much they made a difference in my life. My dad Richard was a role model of a great teacher, the responsible, loving father figure I needed to inspire and choose the career as an educator inside of me. My years from 8-12 grade, (minus my 11th grade year, Junior) was spent watching how a loving, family worked together. This gave me the time to ponder and see firsthand that responsible parenting can be done with hard work, communication, love and compassion for the whole child, even if there were 8 children to care for. I was raised with positive affirmations which healed and changed my outlook about the world I lived in. I will always be grateful for the time I spent under the roof of my father Richard Rogers.