Erna Dee "Edee" Rogers

Erna Dee (Spear) Rogers, 84, passed peacefully on February 9, 2026, after a brief illness while in the caring presence of her loving husband of 65 years, Carl Rogers, and their children. She was born in Parsons, Kansas on March 1,1941 to Alfred and Thelma (Taylor) Spear. She was the fourth of five children and the only girl … outnumbered and growing up with four ornery brothers, DeWitt, Ralph, Daryl, and Gary. In 1958, Erna Dee was a baton twirler during her senior year at Parsons High School. There, she met the love of her life when a Parsons Junior College Football player (Carl) intercepted her date for the evening. They married on January 29, 1961, and celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary this year. During the early years of their marriage, Erna Dee and Carl, along with three of her brothers and their growing families, traversed the country like a band of gypsies while the guys worked for the telephone company. After 10 years of constant traveling, Erna Dee told Carl that she was done with moving and living in a trailer. They settled into their home in Lenexa, Kansas in 1971, where they stayed until 2015. They soon relocated to Colony Cove on Grand Lake in Ketchum, Oklahoma. Erna Dee, or Edee as she came to be known in recent years, loved people so well that most of her family members and friends believed that they were her favorite. She was once quoted as saying, “I just love everybody and assume everybody loves me. So, imagine my great surprise when I discover that someone doesn’t like me!” These instances were indeed rare. She loved to cook and bake to feed all who entered her orbit. She was well-known for her delectable cookies, cakes, and pies … but she was famous for her apricot fried pies. When she would arrive at a gathering of family or friends, many would run to greet her and offer to help carry the fried pies (so they could sneak the first ones). They were truly a unique treat to be savored. Erna Dee and Carl are parents to three children, 11 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren, all of whom survive. As “Mom” and then “Grams,” she loved and was very proud of their family. They are son Joseph (Karen) Rogers of Gardner, KS, their children Caleb (Brittany) Rogers and Kendra (Jayden) Garetson, and their grandchildren Rocklin Rogers and Annilee Garetson; daughter Carla (Jeff) Johnson of Vonore, TN, their children Kristen (Stephen) Abell, Nicholas (Kelsi) Johnson, Chase (Sarah) Lane, Pierce (Sarah) Lane, and Kelsie (Helton) Jeon, two bonus children (Erna Dee’s great-nephews) Caleb (Kayla) Spindler and Jacob (Darian) Spindler, and their grandchildren Sydney and Cameron Abell, Margaret and Masen Johnson, Pía, Tucsé, Knox, and Dash Jeon, Theo and Emma Spindler, and Audrey Spindler; son Matthew (Renee) Rogers of Paola, KS, their children Paige (Ben) Hall, Christian (Madie) Rogers, Dakota (Haley) Rogers, and Kathleen Rogers, and their grandchildren Jayde Carroll and Daniel Hall, Arthur, Melanie and Theodore Rogers, and Eleanor Rogers. Erna Dee retired in 1998 from the City of Lenexa as the Assistant City Clerk. She was a member and the pianist at Vista Baptist Church in Olathe, KS, and later attended Westside Baptist Church in Lenexa, KS, and First Baptist Churches in Salina and Jay, OK. An accomplished pianist, her family remembers her practicing for Sunday morning worship by playing beloved hymns like “To God be the Glory,” “I Surrender All,” and “It is Well (with my Soul).” After Edee and Carl retired, they began to winter in their RV (forgetting what she said about never wanting to live in a trailer again) in sunny places like Yuma, AZ, Punta Gorda, FL, and Donna, TX. There, they made forever friends with their fellow snowbirds. They shared plentiful fun and laughter, day trips to Mexico, and beach days during their many winters together. A few things that “Grams” was well-known for include her toenails being polished to perfection, often in a zebra-striped pattern. Perhaps this is due to her mantra, “If I can’t wear flip-flops, I’m not going!” She was also her kids’ and grandkids’ biggest fan, cheering proudly during their games and performances, though often reminding her granddaughters that “pretty is as pretty does.” A competitive card and domino player, she became a “shuffleboard shark” during their post-retirement travels. Her strong sense of fairness was showing when she bought Carl a diamond ring (in her size) for his birthday … after receiving a trolling motor from him for hers! Erna Dee is preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Thelma Spear, her brother DeWitt Spear, her brother and sister-in-law Ralph and Marjean Spear, her niece Jennifer (Spear) Burrows and her parents-in-law Elton and Marie Rogers. In addition to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, Erna Dee is survived by her husband, Carl Rogers (Ketchum, OK), her brothers Daryl (Sandy) Spear (Columbus, KS) and Gary (Pat) Spear (Parsons, KS), and myriad cousins, nieces and nephews, numerous extended family members, and countless friends. She leaves a legacy of extravagant love, selfless generosity, and deep loyalty to all who were blessed to have known her. We trust that God’s plan for her is good, as her favorite scripture Romans 8:28 reminds us that, “… all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” Erna Dee was a faithful believer in Christ and is now experiencing the promise of heaven: “He will wipe every tear from [her] eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4 Visitation is from 2:00-5:00pm on Sunday, February 15, 2026, with the Celebration of Life at 10:00am on Monday, February 16, 2026, both at Hayhurst Funeral Home, 1660 S. Elm Place, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. Interment will be at 10:00am on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at Park Grove Cemetery, 1000 W. Houston St., Broken Arrow, OK 74012. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Clarehouse, 7617 S. Mingo Road, Tulsa, OK 74133, where Erna Dee, Carl, and her family received exceptional compassionate care during her final days. To donate online, please visit www.clarehouse.org.

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Erna Dee "Edee" Rogers

March 1, 1941 - February 9, 2026