Ann Murtagh Rogers (1933-2024) of Rye, NY, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on May 3, 2024. It is with love that we remember the life and spirit of our mother, grandmother, great grandmother and dynamic friend. She was married to the love of her life, Ted Rogers, for 69 years. Ann lived a truly remarkable life, filled with love, adventure and compassion.
Ann’s family lived in Oakland Gardens, Rye, until her father Bill was employed by the ‘war effort’ and had to travel through the south working to retool factories. Stories of early Kentucky Derbies, one room schoolhouses and swinging on vines in the bayous made for a colorful childhood. Back in Rye, her parents moved to Meadow Place, where later Ann and Ted raised their 4 children.
Ann met Ted (Ralph) Rogers as a teenager at a local party in Rye. Ann was 16, a cheerleader and Ted, 18, a football player at Rye High School…and so a lifelong relationship began.
Ann continued her cheerleading in college, graduated from SUNY Cortland and worked as a Physical Education teacher. She volunteered for many organizations including Rye Handicap Association, Ladies Auxiliary, local school PTO’s and for many years, President of The Twig Organization. She also worked at the family business, Carpet Trends of Rye.
She made every day special and the lives of her family and friends a little more adventurous. Ann would rent a bus and invite the neighborhood for Friday night skiing and other excursions, like Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. She loved involving her family in creating performances, complete with music and costumes. An overall sense of ‘joie de vivre’ kept life full and fun. She cherished her family deeply and made every moment count.
Ann’s life’s story emphasizes the importance of having unconditional love and compassion for family. For Ann, sometimes compassion meant creating a lifetime of photos in albums for each of her children, saving newspaper articles from even the smallest of accomplishments – every little thing was something to be proud of and celebrated. Sometimes compassion meant cooking the best chicken wings, sometimes it meant organizing all sorts of games and puzzles at Thanksgiving. Other times compassion meant being by your side in the hardest of times.
Her memory will be held forever in the hearts of her surviving family; husband Ted Rogers, her brother William Murtagh, her children Sally (& Daniel) Breen, Susan Rogers, Liz (& Gary) Stone and Robert Rogers (& Elizabeth Phy Collins). Her 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren will always know they were the joy of her heart. Ann’s legacy of joy and unconditional love will continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew her.
A Visitation and Blessing will be held on Thursday, May 9th from 4-7pm at the Graham Funeral Home, 1036 Boston Post Road, Rye, NY 10580.
There will be a family Celebration of Life and Interment in the Columbarium Wall at The Presbyterian Church at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, send a donation to the Rye Presbyterian Church, 882 Boston Post Rd, Rye, NY 10580.
