Dr. E.E. Rogers of Toney, Alabama turns 105 on June 17, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
Toney, June 14, 2021:
Local Alabama retired college professor and minister Dr. Ernest Eugene Rogers (Dr. E.E. Rogers) turns 105 years old on June 17, 2021. This milestone birthday may make him one of the oldest living males in the local area and perhaps across the state of Alabama. The community is therefore invited to Dr. E.E. Rogers “Drive by 105th Birthday Celebration” on Thursday June 17 from 3-5pm at 109 Whitfield Drive. Toney, AL 35773.
About Dr. E.E. Rogers
Dr. Ernest Eugene Rogers was born June 17, 1916 in Memphis Tennessee. He was the third of six boys born to Edward and Louise Boyd Rogers. Before the age of 12 his father, owner/ manager of a baseball team in the Negro League was tragically killed in an auto accident while transporting the team to a game. He and his older brothers vowed to support the family. Before the age of 15 he earned money delivering ice and firewood in his neighborhood. He also worked at the Park View hotel as a busboy and shoeshine service worker. The firewood delivery service continued as a family business years after he moved from Memphis.
As a teenager he felt drawn to study God’s Word. He became a Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) and after delivering a dynamic mission story in Sabbath School was urged by a church member and educator who talked with his mother, to attend the Oakwood Academy boarding school in Huntsville, AL. He graduated from the Academy (1939) and continued his education, completing Oakwood Junior College (1941), a bachelor’s degree in Religion and Languages from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska (1943), Masters in Theology and Biblical Languages at the Seventh day Adventist Theological Seminary (1951) and Ph.D. in Communications at Michigan State University (1969).
As the first professor of Biblical Languages at Oakwood College (now University), he retired in 1979 after 35 years of instructing many pastors, church leaders and evangelist in the Seventh-day Adventist church system and institutions. His influence goes beyond delivering classroom instruction; he delivered his love for the God and people he serves, for Christ-centered education and selfless service. The esteem for E. E. (affectionately known) was reflected in many honors that included teacher of the year, sponsor of many student groups and clubs as well as the historic traveling Cathedral and Velvetones quartets. His full-time service spanned more than 60 years as professor and pastor.
In his professional career, He was ordained as an SDA minister and was a pastor in Charlotte, NC prior to joining the Religion Department faculty at Oakwood College and during the time at Oakwood, actively served as pastor of churches in the Huntsville area that included First Church, Florence, Athens, Harvest and Murfreesborough in Tennessee. He also participated with Huntsville area organization for pastors across all denominations. Following retirement from Oakwood he and Mildred spent more than three months traveling around the world. In active retirement, he pastored in Jackson, MS where the church school there bears his name, Louisville, KY, Boston, MA and further served as Visiting Professor of Biblical Languages at the University of Southern Caribbean (Trinidad)) as well as Radio Pastor for WGOD in St Thomas, Virgin Islands. Through the years he was a favored speaker at Camp Meetings, weeks of prayers and youth camps. He was married to his Oakwood Academy sweet heart Mildred Strachan for 63 years (she passed in 2006) and has three adult children, four grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
He married Annell Martin Wright in 2009 at the age of 93 and 91 respectively. He currently resides in Toney, AL with his daughter and son-in-law Drs. Jeannette and Garland Dulan.
Dr. Rogers is greatly respected and known as a humble man of integrity and one who gives wise counsel. He is loved for his sense of humor, attitude of gratitude and joy; humble spirit and unconditional selfless love and service as a leader/ teacher, father, grandfather and friend.