Kenneth Lloyd Rogers

Kenneth Lloyd Rogers, a native son of Roseville, passed away on December 21, 2015 at his home in Rocklin, California. He was 67. He is survived by his loving wife, Mooling Rogers, and his three daughters, Kristen, Gwendolyn, and Amy.

A graduate of UC Davis with a degree in zoology, Ken spent his first years after college honing his beekeeping skills, driving from field to field throughout Northern California to manage his hives. After tiring of chasing bees, he returned to Roseville and settled into life with his family, working for the railroad, as his father had done.

Ken, known to his friends as Kenny, dedicated over forty years of service to Union Pacific Railroad. He was a longstanding union man for Local 492, committed to ensuring that his fellow railroaders were recognized and protected. Upon his retirement in 2010, he brought that same energy to serving railroad retirees so that they, and their families, would be well taken care of and able to self-advocate.

Through it all, Ken was also a caring and supportive husband and father. A matter of first importance was his daughters’ education and exposure to music. Family activities consisted mostly of jazz and symphony performances accompanied by a good meal. In retirement, Ken loved to attend local musical performances with Mooling and enjoyed connecting with the broader musical community in the greater Sacramento area.

Of all the places Ken traveled, the Mendocino coast most held his heart. Twice-yearly trips to Fort Bragg, a drive made more bearable by virtue of a stop in Clearlake for soft serve ice cream, were filled with long walks on foggy beaches and through redwood glades, and evenings spent playing dominoes alongside a fire. Early in the morning, long before the sun rose, Ken would leave the cabin with his surf fishing net and a bucket in hand to steal time with the sea before his family woke up.

The sea is calling and I must go.