Barry Rogers

Waynesville, Barry Rogers, 82, went home on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 at Haywood Regional Medical Center.

A native of Southwest, Virginia he was the son of the late Bert and Virginia Williams Rogers. Barry had a thirst for academia which started early after graduating from Appalachia High School, from there he attended the University of Virginia in which he obtained his bachelors. After obtaining his bachelors, Barry continued to push forward and accomplished the feat of acquiring his masters from, East Tennessee University, which then led him into finishing his post-graduate work at the University of Tennessee. Throughout his many years of determination, Barry was able to become both the Program Director at Lake Junaluska Assembly and the Director for the Center of Continuing Education at Appalachian State University. He also became Executive Director at Lake Junaluska Assembly.

Barry also had another love and that was music, this fiery passion of his created a talented pianist and organist. In conjunction with his education this talented musician desired to share his infatuation of music in the capacity of being the music teacher for both the Christ School and Cherokee Elementary School. Barry was also the organist and Choir Director at St. Margaret’s Catholic Church of Maggie Valley.

His other hobbies included sports in which, Barry was a huge supporter of the New York Yankees, Appalachian State Football, and the University of Virginia basketball teams. He also took great pride in both the University of Virginia and their campus life in which he lived on during his time in school.

In addition to his wife of 55 years, Mary Neill Rogers, he is survived by one daughter, Barrie Rogers, of Asheville; one son Russell Rogers and his wife Mary Jane, of Branchburg, New Jersey; and two grandchildren Bryan and Camryn Rogers.

Memorial services will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, 2019 at Long’s Chapel United Methodist Church with Reverend Tim McConnell officiating. The family will receive friends following the memorial services in the Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to either the Long’s Chapel United Methodist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 459, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745 or to the SARGE’S Animal Rescue Foundation, P.O. Box 854, Waynesville, NC 28786.

The care of Barry has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Homes, and an online memorial register is available at “Obituaries” at www.wellsfuneralhome.com

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