Rev. J.R. “Bobby” Rodgers, 69, of Fitzgerald, died Friday, October 17, at Tift Regional Medical Center in Tifton.
Funeral services will be held 4 P.M., Sunday, October 19 at the Paulk Funeral Home Chapel in Fitzgerald. Interment will follow in Landmark Baptist Church Cemetery, Chula. Visitation will be held 7-9 Saturday evening at the funeral home.
Rev. Rodgers was born November 10, 1938 in Ben Hill County to the late Julius L. and Mattie Crawford Rodgers. He lived in the community all of his life, graduating from Fitzgerald High School in 1957 and he received his Theological training from Norman Park College. Rev. Rodgers was a retired Baptist minister having pastored Holt Baptist, Satilla Baptist, New Prospect Baptist, Morningside Baptist and Landmark Baptist Churches. He was a Chaplain of the Ben Hill Sheriffs' Department and the Fitzgerald Police Department. He was former owner/operator of Rodgers Concession, a former agent for American Family Life Insurance Company, former operator of Triangle Pools and the Heritage House Restaurant. Rev. Rodgers served in the Georgia National Guard. He was an avid fisherman who loved cooking and helping others and was also a member of Landmark Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jean Leggett Rodgers of Fitzgerald; sons & daughters-in-law, Greg & Paula Rodgers of Allen, TX and Kevin & Kimberly Rodgers of Waycross; daughter & son-in-law, Lynn & Dusty Adams of Madisonville, TN; grandchildren, Kayla (James) Johnson, Dylan Rodgers, Allison Alford, Austin Adams, Elizabeth Rodgers and Ben Rodgers. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Howard Rodgers.