Helen "Janet" Rogers

With deep sadness we announce the passing of Helen “Janet” Rogers, age 81, on March 31, 2021, at Peace Hospice. She passed away one day after her 81st birthday, and 20 days after losing her husband, Jerry Rogers. A joint memorial graveside service will be held for Janet and Jerry with military honors at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, 2021, at Highland Cemetery. Janet was born on March 30, 1940, in Levelland, Texas and was the youngest of six children born to Jack and Francis Burris Watson. During Janet’s childhood, her family lived in various western states and eventually settled in Bloomington, California. Janet graduated from Fontana High School in Fontana, California. When Janet’s older brother Buck came home on leave from the Navy at Thanksgiving, he brought his friend and shipmate, Jerry Rogers to meet his little sister, Janet. She became the love of his life and they were married on February 1, 1958, in Bloomington, CA. They raised three children, Mark, Michelle, and James, and were happily married for 63 years. Janet was a homemaker and took great joy in caring for their family while her husband did four overseas tours of duty. She grew beautiful flowers and plants and loved to garden. Janet enjoyed camping and fishing with her family at Lake Francis, Canyon Ferry, Holter, and Tiber. Later in life, Janet was a nursing assistant, but the hobby that she enjoyed the most was her art. She loved creating art using various mediums such as oils, chalk, watercolors, and clay. Janet was known for her oil paintings of wildlife. She sold many of her paintings and some of them were displayed at the Import Depot in Great Falls. Janet is survived by her daughter, Michelle (Terry) Messman of Skykomish, Washington; son, James (Karla) Rogers of Simms, Montana; grandchildren, Ashley, Tyler, Jordyn, Derek (Sarah), and Jace; one great-granddaughter, Shianne; half-sister, Lyn Killian; and numerous nieces and nephews. Janet was preceded in death by her husband Jerry; her oldest son, Mark; her parents; and her siblings, Louise, Sonny, Kathleen, Buck, and Willie Mae.