Remembering Senator Earline Rogers

 We recently gathered to remember and celebrate the life and legacy of Senator Earlene Rogers, a woman whose impact on this great state, and on so many lives, will resonate for generations to come. Senator Rogers was more than a public servant. She was a champion for education, a defender of justice, and a steadfast believer in the power of humanity to create positive change.

Her work in the Senate reflected her deep commitment to equality and education, authoring and supporting legislation that expanded access to quality schooling and opportunities for all. But her efforts didn’t stop at policy. She was an educator at heart, someone who touched lives by investing in the potential of the next generation. Her hands and heart were always extended toward those most in need.

I’m reminded of a scripture from Proverbs 31:20: ‘She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. Earlene Rogers lived these words, standing tall for those without a voice, ensuring that the marginalized and the forgotten were not just heard but uplifted.

Her legacy as a humanitarian is woven into the fabric of our community. She was a bridge between those who had and those who needed, always finding ways to help others rise.

Let us remember her not only for what she achieved but for how she achieved it — with grace, dignity, and an unyielding belief in the good we are all capable of. In the words of Tennessee Williams, ‘The world is violent and mercurial—it will have its way with you. But there is beauty every day.’ Earlene, in her life and work, revealed that beauty to us all.