Gerald "Jerry" Rogers

Gerald “Jerry” Rogers, 84, of Great Falls, Montana passed away on March 11, 2021 of natural causes. A memorial service for Jerry will be held at a later date. Jerry was born on July 16, 1936 to Calvin and Violet Rogers in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jerry was the second of three children. In 1954, he graduated early from Lincoln High School in Cedar Rapids. After high school Jerry joined the Navy at the age of seventeen and served two years. Then he went to work as a lineman in Twenty-Nine Palms, California. After one year he decided to reenlist in the Navy. It was during this time that he met the love of his life, Janet Watson. They were married on February 1st, 1958 in Bloomington, CA and were blessed with three children Mark, Michelle, and James. Above all else, Jerry cherished his marriage to Janet. She was his top priority and his care, dedication, and love for Janet was a testament to true love. While serving in the Navy, Jerry rose to the rank of Senior Chief. Working as a machinist, Jerry served aboard five ships including the USS Oriskany, the USS Ajax, and the USS New Orleans. Jerry completed four overseas tours of duty in Vietnam, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Jerry also took part in the recovery mission of Apollo 14 in the South Pacific. In his time in the service, he earned many commendations and awards including the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal With Two Stars, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the Silver Star In Lieu Of Twelfth Gold Wreath Award. Later, Jerry would take a Navy recruiting position in Missoula, MT and be promoted to Zone Supervisor for Navy recruiting for the state of Montana. While stationed at the Great Falls recruiting station, Jerry was recognized by the Navy for outstanding job performance and attended Super Bowl XIII and Super Bowl XIV courtesy of the US Navy. After retiring from the Navy in 1986, Jerry used the GI Bill to earn a certificate in auto body repair and painting. This skill served him well as he had a collection of Ford mustangs that brought him great joy. Whether painting cars or building engines, Jerry’s love for horsepower was a life-long pursuit that kept him occupied and engaged during his thirty-five years of retirement. Other passions included waterfowl hunting in his jet boat with friends, sons, and grandsons. He took many fishing trips with family to Fort Peck, Northern Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Jerry was also a big fan of the game show “Jeopardy.” He especially enjoyed “Final Jeopardy” and was competitive in a fun way against whoever happened to be sitting next to him in the living room. Jerry is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Janet; his daughter, Michelle (Terry) Messman of Skykomish, Washington; his son, James (Karla) Rogers of Simms, Montana; five grandchildren Ashley, Tyler, Jordyn, Derek, and Jace; one great granddaughter, Shianne; and several nieces and nephews. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Calvin and Violet, his brothers Jackie and James, and his son Mark.