11/24/2025
We celebrate the life of Eugene “Gene” Rodgers who ran to be with Jesus on November 24, 2025, just 2 months shy of his 95th birthday.
Gene was the son of the late Charles E. Rodgers and Elsie (Yost) Rodgers Zook. In July of 1954, Gene married Patricia Yunginger Rodgers. They loved to travel and dote on their family and celebrated 56 years of marriage until Pat’s unexpected death in 2010. Gene found love again, and married Janet Styer Rodgers in 2014, and in June they celebrated 11 years of marriage.
Gene was a proud and faithful servant of this world. He served his family, his country, his community, his church, and brought light and laughter to every person he met. Whenever you saw Gene, or Gener as many of his family and friends lovingly called him, he was almost always proudly wearing his Korean War Veteran hat, his Upper Leacock Fire Company jacket, or a pin on his lapel symbolizing one of the organizations he proudly served and supported.
A man of service, Gene served his country in the Korean War, serving 18 months in Korea with the US Army. It was his service in the war, and before that, his service to his family when his father was drafted in WWII, that Gene developed his passion for being benevolent to others. Gene always found a job that helped others around him. For several years, he was a self-employed plumber, and later the Transportation Director and Maintenance Director of the Conestoga Valley School District. Upon his retirement from CV in 1993, Gene acted upon his passion for the fire service by delivering firetrucks across the country for the former Ladder Towers, Inc. Driving firetrucks allowed Gene to see the United States, and he’d proudly say that he had the privilege of visiting all 50 states, and driving through the contiguous 48. It was through his passion for driving that he got the nickname “Rand McNally”. There was nary a place that Gene didn’t know how to get to, and would confidently give you directions to every interstate or highway, or even a back road so you got to your destination the most efficient way. There was never a place too long or short for Gene to drive. He would often be the chauffeur for the family, carting all his ladies around to go shopping, or even volunteering to drive a 15-passenger van through New York City so his daughter, granddaughters and their friends could see the city at Christmas. He loved every minute of driving, and those who spent time in the car with him will forever cherish the hours we got his undivided attention.
Many people who had the pleasure of knowing Gene knew him from many of the civic organizations he was involved in throughout his long and vibrant life. He was a lifelong member and former Fire Chief of Upper Leacock (formerly Leola) Fire Company. He was the last of the 5 founding members of the Pork and Homemade Sauerkraut dinner that was an annual tradition in Leola for 45 years. The event was a staple in Lancaster County, and was so popular that he had the honor of sharing the cover of Lancaster County Magazine with Santa Clause in December 1991. One of Gene’s last outings was to his nephew’s house where some of the Sauerkraut crew from back in the day gathered to make their own sauerkraut, just as they learned long ago from Gene. Watching the legacy that he started so many decades ago brought a proud smile to his face.
In addition to the Fire Company, Gene was a member of the Keystone State Fire Chief’s Association, and a lifelong member of the Lancaster County Fireman’s Association, where he received the Distinguished Service award in 2017 for his 62 years of service. It was because of the LCFA, and his position as Financial Secretary, that his children learned the art of letter folding and mailing, as they used their summer vacations over many years to prepare the monthly newsletter for all the members.
Gene was also a devoted member of the Upper Leacock Township War Memorial Association and a lifelong member of Salem Evangelical and Reformed Church, Hellers, where he served on the Consistory and the Property Committee. If Gene wasn’t on the road, you could normally find him at the church, fixing or tinkering with something around the property, or at the War Memorial.
Civic Duty was something Gene was passionate about, and although he never was selected to serve Jury Duty, something he wished he would have been called for, he was commended for voting in every election since he was eighteen years old, a privilege he had and continued until this year. One of his proudest moments as an American was when he met and shook George H. W. Bush’s hand while the President was in town for a visit to Conestoga Valley. His service to Lancaster County was awarded and commended when he received the Service to Mankind Award from the Lancaster Sertoma Club in 1989.
Those of us lucky enough to know and love Gene will miss him dearly. We’ll miss seeing his phonetic spelling of words, his precise logs and record keeping abilities, and his skill for packing not only a suitcase, but the trunk of a car. He was practical to a fault, and despite only having an eighth-grade education, many can say he was one of the smartest people they knew. He loved to eat snacks and candy, and whenever you visited him, you could count on there being a wide variety of sweet treats around. He was a regular at many local restaurants and very rarely let anyone else pick up the tab.
Gene was a light in this world and loved to make the most of every day. He laughed often, made others laugh even more, wasn’t afraid to cry, and always sent you a smile that shone through his eyes. He was funny and generous, and didn’t know the word no, especially for his kids and grandchildren.
Gene will be lovingly missed by his wife, Janet Styer Rodgers of New Holland; his daughters, Patti J. (Scott) Hornberger of Bradenton, FL, Jennifer L. Simmons of Strasburg; and son, Scott D. (Lisa) Rodgers of Emmitsburg, MD; grandchildren, Erika (Jared) Weaver, Kyle (Jena) Hornberger, Emily and Rachel Simmons (Hunter Menges); as well as five great-grandchildren, Clay, Colby and Sheridan Weaver, Ronin Hornberger and Hunter Wright. Also surviving are three step-children, Pam (John) Cameron of Lititz, Craig (Sandy) Styer of Terre Hill and George (Angie) Styer of Denver; along with five step-grandchildren, Jen Cameron (Blake Mitchell), John (Marissa) Styer, Daniel (Taylor) Styer, Holli (Chad) Sensinig, Brandi (Kyle) Martin; and seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by siblings Betty Jane (Darrel) Gehman and Kenny (Alice) Rodgers. He was predeceased by his two brothers, Charles and Sterling Rodgers.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Garden Spot Village in the Summerfielde wing, especially Daphne Heiser who was a huge comfort to Jenni and her family during the last week of Gene’s life.
The Celebration of Life will take place on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025 at 2:30 pm at Salem Evangelical Reformed Church, Hellers, 2555 Horseshoe Rd., Lancaster PA 17601. The family will greet friends from 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Interment: the adjoining cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be sent in his memory to Salem Evangelical Reformed Church Hellers Perpetual Fund for the upkeep of the cemetery.