Donald Wayne Rogers, 90, of Brandon, FL, passed away on Thursday, July 4, 2024. He was a native of Dover, FL and a lifelong resident of the area. He was a graduate of Turkey Creek High School and was elected the President of his graduating class of 1952. He served as a medic in the Army, stationed in Alaska and was honorably discharged in 1962. He attended the University of Florida on the G.I. Bill and obtained a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1960, attributing much of his success to the major contributions of his wife, Martha, whom he married in 1958. He returned to the Tampa area to begin his professional career in the Hillsborough County Health Department in 1960 as a sanitary engineer. He was given a grant to continue his education and received a master’s degree in Sanitary Engineering from the University of North Carolina in 1963. Upon his return in 1964, he was named the inaugural Executive Director of what is now known as the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) while simultaneously serving as the director of the Hillsborough County Health Department Sanitary Engineering. During this time, he was honored as the Young Engineer of the Year for the State of Florida. His distinguished contributions to the EPC were recognized in 2019 when he was selected for the EPC Hall of Fame.
After moving to Brandon, he was actively engaged in service to the community through his participation in the Kiwanis club, where he served as President, and as a coach in youth baseball. He was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Brandon and served as a Bible Study Teacher for high school men. He was inspired to return to graduate school after teaching night courses at the University of South Florida. He achieved a PhD from the University of North Carolina in 1973 and returned as full-time faculty member in the Department of Engineering at the University of South Florida. One of his greatest joys in his later life was to encounter former students who had become engineering leaders throughout the region. His desire to pay for the college education of his children prompted him to start an engineering firm while a faculty member and he ultimately left the University of South Florida as one of the early firms expanded rapidly. He re-immersed himself into to community upon his return in 1974 and served as the Chair of the Deacons of the First Baptist Church of Brandon in 1985 and as the Bible Study Teacher of the senior adults only retiring in 2018.
He is survived by his wife, Martha; son, David Alan (Laura) Rogers; daughter, Michelle (Greg) Roberts; brothers, Ronnie (Sue), Wendell (Celia) and Raymond (Pam) Rogers; sisters, Elaine (Sonny) Lister, Vivian (Patric) Mirk, Willeva (Ludo) Van Den Bogaert and Dana (Jim) Fortinberry; grandchildren, Kelsey, Megan (Jared), Charles and Andrew and great-granddaughter, Emma. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 11:00 A.M. Saturday, July 27, 2024, at First Baptist Church of Brandon with the family receiving friends one hour prior to services. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the First Baptist Church of Brandon Foundation. This can be done by giving to the First Baptist Church of Brandon (https://pushpay.com/g/firstbaptistbrandon?src=hpp) and indicating the gift as being directed to Foundation under the Other option.
Previous Events
Visitation
27
Jul
216 North Parsons Avenue
Brandon, FL 33510
Celebration of Life Service
27
Jul
216 North Parsons Avenue
Brandon, FL 33510
