Hadley Dean Rogers

Hadley’s siblings include his brother Keith Rogers of Elroy, AZ and his sister Gaynel Gunderson, of Soap Lake, WA. He was preceded in death by his brother Neil Rogers of North Bend, WA.

Hadley graduated from Mt. Si High School in 1954, and then went on to Central Washington University where he graduated with a B.A. in Economics. After school he faithfully served his country in the US Army.

In 1962 Hadley came back to North Bend to work in the family business. Ken’s Café served truck drivers and locals with the best food in the Valley. Hadley was a cook on the night shift and it was there that he met his beautiful wife, Peggy McCaffery, who was a waitress at the café. They had their very first date on April fool’s day! Hadley and Peggy were married on July 28, 1962. They were blessed with two wonderful children and then several grandchildren whom Hadley delighted in.

His son Brian, with his wife Ruth, blessed him with two wonderful grandsons, Aaron and Jacob.

His daughter Kimberley and her husband John blessed him with 3 awesome grandkids, Treana, Vernon and Jeremy.

Hadley’s education served him well as he worked to expand Ken’s Café into a full service, 24 hour full service truck stop. With land secured to expand the business, he traveled to Washington DC to speak with a Senator in order to obtain a loan from the Small Business Association. His perseverance paid off and he received, in that day, a monumental loan amount for such a small business operator. Construction began on Ken’s Truck Town in 1974.

One of the things Hadley was most excited about was building a small prayer chapel for truckers and anyone who wanted to stop and pray. He built it outside his office window so that he could see when someone went in, allowing him to say a prayer for them. He felt it an honor to have given away thousands of New Testament Bibles, distributed by the Gideon’s.

Around 1990 Hadley and his brother Neil built a smaller truck stop in Prosser, Washington. A chapel was built there as well and serves to refresh many souls today while offering the hope and peace that is found in a relationship with Jesus. This is what mattered most to Hadley.

Truck Town served as a great place of employment over the years for Hadley, his brother Neil, his sister Gaynel and all their children. Employees, truck drivers, local residents and friends, as well as all who had a need, were met with compassion, generosity, and the love of Jesus until it was sold in 2003.

Hadley was an amazing husband to Peggy, whom he adored! They shared many great adventures together, cruises, trips to Spain, Asia, Hawaii and traveling to Arizona for the winters.

He was a pumpkin farmer extraordinaire and loved to compete for the biggest pumpkin award with Kimberley and John. We somehow always made sure dad won!

Brian fondly remembers that his dad was always there for him no matter what, offering wisdom and grace, along with a great sense of humor, in any and every situation.

Ruth loved to laugh often about so many things with “the best father-in-law in the world”.

Hadley was truly an incredible grandpa to his grandkids and each simply adored him. He will greatly missed by all.

Hadley accomplished so much not only with being an excellent family man and businessman, but he was also privileged to minister as a deacon at Valley Christian Assembly in Fall City.

He was a Bible teacher, treasurer and even received his own pastoral license. After retiring he and Peggy joined Youth with a Mission and traveled globally, including going on mission trips to Penang, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan.

So, to our beloved husband, father, grandpa and best friend, we love you more than words could ever say. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being a living example to us, showing what really matters in this life we spend here on earth. Loving Jesus wholeheartedly produces a love and grace for others and a peace in the heart that cannot be shaken in life or in death.

Philippians 1: 6 was one of Hadley’s favorite verses:

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ.”

We invite all of you who knew Hadley to join us in celebrating his life.

2pm on Saturday June 30, 2012 at Cascade Covenant Church in North Bend, WA.

In lieu of flowers, please feel free to honor Hadley’s memory by making a donation to In The Field Ministries at www.inthefieldministries.org. Hope is being restored to the people of Uganda through the work his daughter Kim and her husband John. Hadley’s presence on the Board of Directors in the early years of the ministry brought him great joy.

We love you dad!!!