Harry F. Rogers Jr.

Rogers—Harry F. Rogers Jr., 76, on August 27, 2024, peacefully in his sleep, in Columbia, S.C. Harry was born on September 26, 1947, in Maynard, Mass.

Harry dedicated much of his life serving his community and country. Harry proudly served in the U.S. Air Force where he embraced the discipline and camaraderie that military life offered. He was a veteran of the war in Vietnam. His commitment to excellence was evident in his subsequent career as a nuclear electrician, a field that demanded precision and expertise.

Harry and his wife, Rebecca, who preceded him in death, discovered Friends in the early 1990s while searching for a faith community that supported their values and desire for action. He was a longtime member of Columbia (S.C.) Meeting, where he found spiritual nourishment and fellowship. Harry was a member of Columbia Meeting’s Peace and Social Concerns Committee. He served as meeting clerk, taught First-day school, and helped rewire and renovate the meetinghouse. Harry served at various times with American Friends Service Committee, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Alternatives to Violence Project, and the Fellowship of Reconciliation. He served on the board of Quaker House in Fayetteville, N.C., and traveled to conferences, meetings, and actions. He was a tireless worker for peace and justice.

Harry was a devoted father and caring husband to his second wife, Jane. He had a unique ability to lighten any room with his humor, bringing joy and laughter to friends and family alike. He never met a stranger and he loved his Carolina Gamecocks. He was on the board of the Columbia chapter of the Carolina Peace Resource Center; and a supporter of Women in Black, a worldwide network of women committed to peace with justice as well as of Mutual Aid of the Midlands, a grassroots disaster relief network. His most recent efforts had centered around Hiroshima Day remembrances and establishing peace poles in Columbia.

Harry is survived by his wife, Jane Rogers; two children, Kimberly Gray and Harry (Trey) Franklin Rogers III; six grandchildren; one great-grandchild; as well as Jane’s children and grandchildren.