OBITUARY
BROTHER FRED RODGERS
Frederick Eugene Rodgers, 77, was born August 2, 1945, in Evergreen, Alabama, to Rutielia Fountain and Herbert Rodgers. Fred grew up in the Evergreen area and as a teenager, worked at the O.B. Salter Grocery Store. Mr. Salter would remain a mentor and father figure to him for the next 40 years. Fred graduated from Conecuh Country Training School in 1963, then moved to Chicago, where he lived with his Aunt Margaret Stallworth and her family. Once he settled there, he worked in various positions. He worked as a pharmacy technician, a court stenographer and in advertising at the Chicago Tribune.
In the early 1980's, Fred worked as a counselor at the Illinois Correctional Facility for Boys in St. Charles, IL. A few years later, he began working for the City of Aurora. He was appointed Youth Services Director in 1986, a job he held until his retirement in 2009. Fred was instrumental in promoting the youth in the City of Aurora. He helped start several youth sporting programs for the city; including basketball camps, and First Tee Golf programs, as well as cultural activities in arts and sciences and scholarship programs. If
someone
was in need of something, such as food, clothing, shelter or education, all they had to do was call Fred Rodgers. He would help anyone personally or contact someone who could assist.
Fred was a faithful and dedicated member of the Israel of God's Church. He attended service at the Sycamore location. For many years, he helped provide the Church Youth Summer Camp by providing food, sports and cultural activities. In the early 1990's, Fred was instrumental in helping several teenage church members travel to Russia and Scandinavia through the People to People Student Ambassador Program.
Fred had the most wonderful heart and giving spirit. He shared so much with people in need, be it blood relatives, church family or his community. It's because of Fred's loving, giving and encouraging nature that the City of Aurora honored him by dedicating the Fred Rodgers Community Center and the Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy in his name in 2009. One year later, in 2010, Fred was named the City of Aurora's Outstanding African American.
Fred passed away peacefully on Saturday morning, January 28, 2023, at his home in Aurora. He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife Denise, to whom he was married for 12 years. While Fred had no children, he helped to raise Laura Rodriguez and her son Ricky, both of Los Angeles, CA and Apryll Elliott of Aurora, IL, as his children. He was preceded in death by his parents; his step-father Clifton Moore; his brothers, Herbert (Shirley, deceased) Rodgers and Patrick Moore; his sisters Gloria (David, deceased), Taylor and Janice (Sergio) Macena.
Fred is survived by his sisters, Annie (Reverend Jesse) Culpepper of Birmingham, AL, Marie (David) Philyaw of Castleberry, AL, Elder Patricia (Reverend James) Ruffin of Boston, MA, and Beryl (La Roy) Armstead; brothers Clifton (Nettie, deceased) Moore, Jr. of Evergreen, AL, Keith (Shenita) Rodgers and Shawn (Terri D.) Rodgers, his stepmother, Velma Rodgers of Cincinnati, OH, and his mother-in-law, Mother Dorothy Gray of Rockford, IL.
He also leaves to cherish his memory many cousins, nephews, nieces and the members of the Israel of God's Church.
Fred was very thankful for his caregivers, the women he raised as his daughters, Laura Rodriguez and Apryll Elliott, as well as Raymond Wilson of Aurora; his loyal friends, Ray Torres, Oscar and Candi Aguleria, Mrs. Ann Wesby, Fatima Garcia, Candace Moore, Kevin Jenkins, Kathy Moran, Rehna, Augusta and Nina Williams; his neighbors, Greg and Gloria Medernach, and the Prisco Food Store and it's employees.
His visitation will be on Friday, February 10th from 3:00-6:00 PM at the St. John AME Church, 2950 Bilter Road, Aurora, IL. 60502.
A memorial service will follow the visitation on Friday from 6:00-8:30 PM at the Church with Pastor Jesse Hawkins, Host.
There will be a visitation on Saturday, February 11th from 10:00-11:00 AM at the Israel of God's Church, 248 N. Avenue, Sycamore, IL. 60178. A funeral service will begin at 11:00 AM with Bishop Ronald C. Henton officiating.
Burial will be at the Elmwood Cemetery in Sycamore.
Arrangements were completed by the Butala Funeral Home, Sycamore, IL.
To sign the online guest book, go to www.ButalaFuneralHomes.com
