Memorial services for Earline Rogers, former Indiana state senator, will be held Friday, September 20, at St. Timothy Community Church, 1600 W. 25th Avenue, Gary. Rogers was 89 when she passed Thursday, September 5th.
Few can match the communities she served and commitments she made as an educator and public servant.
Rogers was a teacher for 38 years in the Gary Community School Corp. She served 2 years on the Gary Common Council.
She was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives, in District 14, for 8 years and an Indiana State Senator, in District 3, for 26 years. In the Indiana General Assembly, she represented Gary, parts of Hobart, Lake Station, and Merrillville.
Her longevity may be explained in both her zeal for life and for serving the public, explained former Gary mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson. “As a little girl, I knew her as Keith and Dara’s mom. I also witnessed her zeal for life as a young person who enjoyed parties in her basement; later as one of her pool buddies at the YWCA.”
“I was blessed to have her as a mentor as I got older. I counted her as an ally in the effort to rebuild the city she loved dearly,” said Freeman-Wilson. “To our city and state, she leaves the use of gaming revenue to invest in infrastructure and other capital needs for service to citizens. She gave our community an opportunity about our economy beyond steel and manufacturing.”
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said, “Earline Rogers was an inspiring leader and mentor with a legacy of remarkable legislative achievements. It was a privilege to succeed her in 2016 as an Indiana State Senator. As the Mayor of Gary, I strive to honor her memory of service and dedication. Her dedication to representing our region in Indianapolis has been immensely valuable to the residents of Gary and the broader community.”
Lake County Council President Christine Cid, D-5th, remembered Rogers and her leadership.
“Earline once shared with me that you must earn respect and then demand it. She was a listener and I took advantage of her guidance,” Cid said. “She will be missed.”
Lake County Councilman Charlie Brown served as a representative in the Statehouse while Rogers was in the Senate.
“Sen. Rogers and I, were school teachers together prior to going to the legislature. That’s how she got involved,” Brown said. “Earline was a fighter. She pushed real hard for us to get the riverboats and that ultimately turned into the land-based casino. That was her pet project. Anything that was good for Gary, Earline was there with her gloves on.”
Brown said Rogers threw her support behind anything dealing with education. She championed schools and students throughout her career and was co-sponsor of the state’s charter school legislation.
GlenEva Dunham, President of the Gary Teachers Union, AFT Local 4, recalled the story Rogers often told about her introduction to state government. “Earline was a member of the union’s executive board. She stepped away from a board meeting to use the bathroom. When she returned, she learned the board had selected her as their candidate to run for state representative. She accepted.”
Keith Rogers, Earline’s son said, “We need more people today like her, who think more about the people than the party.”
Friday’s memorial starts with visitation at 10am; the service follows at 11am.
