Joel B. Rogers

Joel Benyon Rogers, Jr. passed away Saturday, March 4, at Wellstar Hospital in Griffin, Georgia. Benny, as all who knew and loved Joel called him, was born April 26, 1944 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany. His parents were the late Joel “Joe” B. and Nancy Olivia Rogers. The Rogers family moved to Lee County when Benny was very young, and he grew up there, graduating from Lee County High School in 1962. He graduated from South Georgia Technical and Vocational School in Americus with a degree in aircraft mechanical engineering and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1965. While serving during the Vietnam War he was awarded the Army Air Medal in 1968 for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.

  Benny moved to Albany in 1970 with his wife Barbara and worked at the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company plant until it closed in 1986.He then returned to the aircraft industry where he worked for many years with various companies and traveled extensively for his job. He settled in Crestview, Florida until and during his retirement. He was in the process of relocating to Griffin to be with his son and family at the time of his death.

Besides his parents, he is preceded in death by his brothers, James "Jim", Andrew "Andy" and Charles "Charlie," as well as his beloved brother-in-law Paul Akridge Jr. and nephews Roger Rogers and Christopher Hastings. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Leila Wells Rogers as well as granddaughter Valerie, grandson through marriage Mason, and mother of his son Jeff, Barbara, sisters Nancy York, and her husband Joe, of Lee County and Ginger Akridge, of Americus, and sister-in-law Carolyn Rogers of Albany. Much loved nieces and nephews are Steve and Karan, Cindy and Mike, Trish and Charles, Laura and Mark, Mike and Jodi, Stacey and Brandon, Amy and Chuck and Matt. He also had numerous great nieces and nephews and cousins. His caregiver and friend was Babs Denyes.    He will be greatly missed by all, but we take comfort in knowing he is at home with all who have gone before him and our Lord.

  He will be laid to rest March 18, at 3:00 in Leesburg City Cemetery. The service will be conducted by Rev. Aaron McCully.