Dessie Brown Rogers, age 99, of Boaz passed away on Saturday, January 14, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at her home surrounded by her family. Dessie was born on February 25, 1923 to the late Bonnie C. and Lular Green Brown. Dessie retired from Gilliam Candy Company where she worked for 42 years. After retiring she was a caregiver and cared for elderly until she, herself, was 87 years old.
“Mamaw” as she was know to most of her family was a hard worker and follower of the Lord. From early on she milked the cows and worked at the candy factory during the day and cooked and cleaned and cared for her family in the late evenings. She loved gardening and put out a garden big enough to feed her whole family up until a few years ago, She was a teacher as well. She taught her grandchildren how to can and freeze items from the garden and we can’t forget about her famous fried pies that nobody will ever be able to replicate. Dessie was blessed to see many years here on earth and loved telling stories from her experiences over those years. She truly loved people. Dessie never met a stranger and if you were lucky enough to have met her then you played the 20 question game. She wanted to know if there was person, place or something that connected you with her and before the conservation was over she usually had found at least one thing in common.
She is survived by one daughter, Williametta (Robert) Dunaway and her son, Phillip (Buck) Rodgers, both of Boaz; five grandchildren, Roger (Laura) Dunaway of Apollo Beach, Florida, Kim (Josh) Moore of Boaz, Melissa (Trevor) Howard of Paducah, Rodney (Veda) Dunaway of Hickory, KY and Ronald Dunaway of Boaz; six great-grandchildren, RheaAnne (Travis Peck) Dunaway, Joshua (Colleen) Moore, Jerrod (Kim) Moore, Shane (Bridgett) Dunaway, Jennifer Williams, Tori (Jeff) Silman, Zach (Emma) Howard and Tristin Dunaway; 17 great-great-children; several nieces and nephews.
Preceding in death was her husband of 70 years, William Rodgers, her parents and daughter-in-law, Judith Hayes Rodgers and two brothers, Virgil Lynn and Harold Lynn.
Services will be held at the Lone Oak Chapel Milner & Orr Funeral Home, Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Keith Tilford officiating. Burial will follow at the Rodgers family cemetery in Boaz. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 18, 2023 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at the Lone Oak Chapel Milner & Orr Funeral Home.