Minnie Louise Rogers was the fifth child born to Willie Bell and Calvin Hill on March 14, 1944 in Plantersville, Alabama. Minnie grew up in Plantersville and graduated from Hudson High School in Selma, Alabama, where she met her future husband “Frank” Benjamin Franklin Rogers.
After graduating high school, Minnie moved to Long Island, New York and later she relocated to Rockland County, New York to join her high school sweetheart, Frank. In February 1965, the lovebirds eloped in the Carolinas, settled in Spring Valley, New York, and had three children, Benjamin, Brenda and Frederick.
Minnie’s compassion for others ultimately led her to a human services career path. She worked at Elmore Manor Nursing Home as a nurse’s aide and as a therapy aide at Letchworth Village Developmental Center, where she retired in 1985. While working at Letchworth, Minnie received recognition for successfully performing the Heimlich maneuver on a resident, saving a life. She also maintained the cottage garden at Letchworth and entered many gardening competitions.
Minnie was an active member of First Baptist Church, where she served on the nurse’s auxiliary board and several church activities prior to becoming ill. Minnie made friends everywhere she went, including the Bernstein House. In time, her health improved and she moved to Maryland in 1996. She lived in both Jessup and Edgewood, Maryland prior to returning to Spring Valley, New York in 2009 because she wanted to be closer to her mother and siblings.
Minnie was a woman of many talents and her creativity was unparalleled; sewing, crocheting and gardening were just a few of her many passions. She crocheted poodles, swans, dolls, hats, scarves, ponchos, blankets and much more---all without the use of a pattern. Minnie’s other passions were music and fashion. Minnie sewed jumpsuits in the 1970s, Easter dresses for her daughter and nieces, and she even designed jeans in the 1980s. If she saw it, she could tell you how to make it. Even later in life, Minnie was up-to-date with fashion trends and she would offer unsolicited advice as to what “they are wearing” and “what you should buy”.
Minnie was a wonderful, loyal and giving wife, mother, mother–in-law, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She left a lasting impression on all whose paths she crossed. It would only take a few minutes of conversation with her to discover her enthusiasm and love for at least one if not all of her interests. A sense of humor and the ability to make you laugh were qualities one would observe in sharing dialogue with Minnie. Generosity was also one of Minnie’s attributes, she would give her last if she believed the other person would benefit.
Minnie was preceded in death by her father, Calvin Hill and her husband, Benjamin Rogers. Those left to cherish her memory are her mother, Willie Bell Hill of Spring Valley, New York; three children, Benjamin Rogers of Middletown, New York, Brenda Battle of Ellicott City, Maryland and Frederick Rogers of Edgewood, Maryland; two daughters-in-law, Shirley Rogers and Tasha Rogers; one son-in-law, Sean Battle; and nine grandchildren, Tarice, Taylor, Jordan, Alana, Cameryn, Chandler, Blessing, Payton, and Sasha. There are 11 surviving siblings; five brothers, George (Linda) Hill of Spring Valley, New York; Percy (Marilyn) Hill of Jacksonville, Florida, Calvin Hill of Birmingham, Alabama, Juroy Hill of Yonkers, New York and Gregory Hill of Spring Valley, New York; and six sisters, Nettie Hill of Indian Trail, North Carolina, Bettie Burton (Melvin) of Ypsilanti, Michigan, Caldonia (Charles) Smith of East Orange, New Jersey, Shearell (Keith) Watkins of Spring Valley, New York, Lisa Hill of Birmingham, Alabama and Lorene McGhee of Selma, Alabama. There are three surviving brothers-in-law, William “Bill” Rogers of Spring Valley, New York, George Rogers of Suffern, New York, and Louis Thomas (Elizabeth) Rogers of Milton, Florida; and one surviving sister-in-law, Mary Ellen Boykin of Selma, Alabama; in addition to many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
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