Rodger P. Hargraves, Sr.

Rodger P. Hargraves, Sr. (Major US Army Ret), 88, of Temple, TX went to the final roll call on Feb. 14, 2010 from the Waco VA Retirement Home. Funeral Services will be held at 11 AM Wednesday at the Scanio-Harper Funeral Home in Temple with his son in law, Jerry Fullen officiating. Private burial will be at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, TX with full military honors. Visitation will be held 10-11 AM Wednesday at the funeral home. Maj. Hargraves was born in Beaumont, TX on May 15, 1921, son of the late Walter and Estelle Ingells Hargraves. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the US Coast Guard and was stationed on the Texas Gulf Coast. In Jan. 1942, while assigned to the cutter Alexander Hamilton, it became the first American warship sunk by the German Navy. Rodger was reported as missing and presumed dead, but he had been assigned to go with the wounded to Iceland. For almost 2 weeks his parents and wife assumed him dead. He later served in the South Pacific as a deep sea diver. He remained in the Coast Guard until 1949, attaining the rank of Chief Petty Officer when he resigned to return to civilian life. Returning to Beaumont he attended Lamar Tech, to study biology and become a medical technologist. He received his bachelor's degree in 1954 and worked in the medical laboratory at the Baptist Hospital in Beaumont. He became the chief medical technologist for the hospital by 1957. In the early 1950's he and several other senior NCO's stated a Coast Guard Reserve unit in Port Arthur, TX. In 1962 he was asked by the US Army if he would be willing to accept a commission and train medics at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX. Army assignments took him and his family to San Antonio and Okinawa before he finally retired as a major in 1972. He returned to Beaumont and Lamar and pursued his master's degree which he received in 1989. After receiving his degree he helped to establish and became the first principal of the Lumberton Christian School in Lumberton, TX. After he retired from this position in 1992 he and his wife moved to Rosebud, TX where they had purchased a home. Rodger was always active in churches wherever they live, the last being the First Baptist Church in Rogers, TX. Rodger is survived by his wife of 68 years, Geneva Brown Hargraves of Temple, TX. He also leaves a son, Rodger Hargraves, Jr. of Winchester, VA, daughters, Myra Jean Fullen and Marilyn Elizabeth Bartel both of Temple, TX, and a son David L. Hargraves of Marble Falls, TX. He also has one surviving brother, Abbott Hargraves of Lufkin, TX and 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Capital of Texas Chapter, 3429 Executive Center Dr. Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731.