Obituary of Virginia Rogers

Virginia Gilman Rogers, 99, formerly of Belmont, MA, died on June 27 at the Atrium of the Village at Penn State. Her husband Carl Rogers preceded her in death in 1943. Virginia received a BA in Music from Smith College in 1934 with further studies in violin in Salzburg and Vienna. She received a Masters in Education from Boston University in 1950, and then taught third and fourth grades at Lesley Ellis School in Cambridge and at Chestnut Hill School in Brookline, MA for 29 years. During that time, she also raised three children, was a private violin teacher and a director of the local chapter of the League of Women Voters. For the next 24 years in retirement, she dedicated herself to community service and hospital work in Francestown, NH, where she lived with her sister Margaret in a 1790 farm house. The road where she lived was renamed the Virginia Rogers Road when she moved to State College in 1997. She has lived in State College since then, being one of the first residents at the Village at Penn State. She supported Classical Music programs, the Junior Baroque Festival and the Nittany Valley Symphony, and various community activities. Throughout her life Virginia traveled extensively, starting with driving the family Packard across the United States in 1930. She lived in Austria and Switzerland, visited the Soviet Union, Japan, China, Hungary, all states of the US, and made frequent trips to Western Europe and the British Isles with her children and grandchildren. Her hobbies included jewelry making, spinning, music and baking. She is survived by her three children and their spouses, Carol and Arthur Motta of State College, Susan and Alex Hardy of Birmingham, AL, and Mark and Jane Rogers of Arvada, CO; eight grandchildren and spouses, Marka Young and Peter Newell, New Paltz, NY, Cynde and Mike Pribil, Lakewood, CO, Josh Young and Paula Long, Ithaca, NY, Jenny and Chuck Kersey, Burien, WA, Gretchen and Travis Zundel, Bothell, WA, Erica and Greg Zebrowski, Loveland, Co, Annie Motta and Gilly Motta, both of State College; and nine great-grandchildren. In addition, her nephews Robin Murlless and wife Judy of Philadelphia, PA, and Frank Foster of Arlington, MA, survive her. Her two sisters Barbara and Margaret and sister-in-law Ethel predeceased her. A memorial service will be held in Belmont, MA at a time to be announced. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.Kochfuneralhome.com.