Funeral Services for W. Lane Rogers were held on Wednesday, August 5, 2009 in Benson, AZ. A Memorial account has been established at Bank of America, 149 W. 4th St., Benson, AZ. 85602 to assist with funeral expenses.

W. Lane Rogers is the recipient of numerous awards including the C.L. Sonnichsen Award for Best Article in the Journal of Arizona History.

Lane was editing Alice Crooker's book; she wrote, "June the 2nd he was diagnosed with cancer. He told me he had cancer in four places--throat, liver, hip and shoulder. He swore me to absolute secrecy, and I miss him."

W. Lane Rogers is the recepient of numerous awards including the C.L. Sonnichsen Award for Best Article in the Journal of Arizona History.

Lane wrote "CRIMES & MISDEEDS: Headlines from Arizona's Past", and three other books.

Lane had no children with his second wife, Patricia Lynnette Gilmore. They were married on September 27, 1978, in Davis, Utah.

Lane and Pat applied together for membership as Sons of Utah Pioneers.

I sponsored this memorial, because Lane's half-sister said she needed room to post photos from when Lane was a boy, but after I paid to sponsor it, she never posted any photos. I just found out today, March 29, 2016, that this memorial is a duplicate on an earlier "unknown burial" Find A Grave Memorial# 40381272, but "known burials" take precedence according to FAG Rules.

"Page Pioneer" W. Lane Rogers, Page High School Class of 1962, along with his Aunt Lucy Irene (Williams) Louck & Uncle Louis Keith Louck (1921-2006) (married December 22, 1950, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, while both worked in the American Embassy), and siblings, Gary '60 & Nancy '61 helped to birth "America's Last Frontier" -- Page, Arizona.

Lane went to Kanab in 1957 to live with his Aunt & Uncle Louck, then on to Page with them the following year.

Lane had no children with his second wife, Patricia Lynnette Gilmore. They were married on September 27, 1978, in Davis, Utah.

Lane's Aunt Lucy (Williams) was first married to Frederick Vincent Brossard in 1941, who was killed in a plane crash on a mountain in Ireland during WW II - December 13, 1943 was the date Lucy was given. His grave says December 17th.
Vincent was the oldest of four children born to Fred Ulysses Brossard and Therese Parkinson Brossard before they separated and she moved with the children to Washington, D.C.
Their children, in birth order:
FREDERICK VINCENT BROSSARD, b. 1916 - 1943
ADELE BROSSARD HERNANDEZ
BOYD BROSSARD
CHANDLER BROSSARD
(July 18, 1922-August 29, 1993)
Mr. Brossard, who was twice divorced, was survived by three daughters, Dr. Iris Brossard of Wichita, KS; Marie Brossard and Geneve Brossard, both of Manhattan; a brother, Boyd, of Manhattan; a sister, Adele Brossard Hernandez of Washington, D.C., and two grandchildren.

When Vincent's plane went missing, his Uncle Edgar Bernard "Ed" Brossard (1889-1980) kept her informed. In 1940, "Ed" was in the news for nepotism, benefitting both Vincent and his younger brother, Boyd P. (probably Parkinson, his mom's maiden name) Brossard:

TALENTED PROTEGE
One of the greatest patronage wanglers in American history was former Senator Reed Smoot of Utah, co-author of the famous Smoot-Hawley tariff act and now an apostle of the Mormon Church.
As chairman for many years of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, he built up a network of high and low office-holding henchmen who permeated every agency of the Government. One of Smoot's Utah proteges was Edgar B. Brossard, whom he installed on the Tariff Commission. Brossard has now been a Tariff Commissioner for 15 years at $10,000 a year, and although his patron, Smoot, was eliminated from the Senate in 1932, Smoot's example apparently is still fresh in Brossard's mind, for he has quietly built up one of the juiciest nepotism lists in Washington. Being childless, Brossard has no children of his own
on the government payroll. But a flock of nieces and nephews -- eight, to be exact -- draw government pay as follows:
1. Niece Barbara Brossard, stenographer, State Department @ $1,800
2. Niece Enid Brossard, stenographer, WPA @ $1,800
3. Niece Gretta J. Brossard, clerk, Surplus Commodities Corp @ $1,440
4. Niece Mrs. H. Stratford Brossard, stenographer, Federal Alcohol Administration @ $1,620
5. Niece Mrs. E. J. Ceconi, stenographer, Foreign Agricultural Relations office @ $1,620
6. E. J. Ceconi, Niece's husband, mail clerk, PWA @ $1,440
7. Nephew BOYD BROSSARD, clerk, Farm Security Administration @ $1,260
8. Nephew FREDERICK VINCENT BROSSARD, clerk, Farm Security Administration @ $1,440
In Who's Who in the Nation's Capital, Brossard notes his chief hobby as "Humanitarian work of encouraging and helping those in need of it.

"Page Pioneer" W. Lane Rogers, Page High School Class of 1962, along with his Aunt Lucy Irene (Williams) Louck & Uncle Louis Keith Louck (1921-2006) (married December 22, 1950, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, while both worked in the American Embassy), and siblings, Gary '60 & Nancy '61 helped to birth "America's Last Frontier" -- Page, Arizona.

Lane went to Kanab in 1957 to live with his Aunt & Uncle Louck, then on to Page with them the following year.

Lane had no children with his second wife, Patricia Lynnette Gilmore. They were married on September 27, 1978, in Davis, Utah.

Lane's Aunt Lucy Irene (Williams) was born in Tucson, Pima, Arizona, on November 24, 1914 to Frederick Granger Williams and Nancy Abigail Clement.

In 1941, in Washington, D. C., Lucy Irene Williams married #1 Second Lieutenant Frederick Vincent Brossard (March 31, 1916-Dec 13, 1943, the date Lucy was given--checking in her papers for documentation; grave marker Dec 17th), who died at the young age of 27 during WW II as the Navigator among five crew members who perished together: Pilot (25), Co-Pilot (24), Engineer (31) & Radio Operator (24).

He was the oldest child of Theresa Parkinson Brossard, b. Oct 22, 1884 in Franklin, ID - d. May 12, 1971 (was in Logan, UT in 1967) d/o Samuel Chandler Parkinson (b. 1853, St. Louis - d. 1922, SLC, s/o Samuel Rose Parkinson, 1831-1919)& Mary Ann Hobbsa, m. 12-9-1872, SLC (8-15-1855, Cheltenham Gloucs, England-12-21-12, Franklin, ID). Theresa 7th of 14 children. She was on the 1930 Census in D.C. with her husband (m. Nov. 27, 1913), from whom she was later separated--Frederick Utilus Brossard, b.1885, whose children were born in Idaho Falls
Children, in birth order:
FREDERICK VINCENT BROSSARD (1916-1943)
ADELE BROSSARD HERNANDEZ
BOYD BROSSARD
CHANDLER BROSSARD
(July 18, 1922-August 29, 1993)
Mr. Brossard, who was twice divorced, was survived by three daughters, Dr. Iris Brossard of Wichita, KS; Marie Brossard and Geneve Brossard, both of Manhattan; a brother, Boyd, of Manhattan; a sister, Adele Brossard Hernandez of Washington, D.C., and two grandchildren.

Vincent and Lucy met at church. Lucy had been living in Phoenix, AZ, before she moved to D.C. to work at the Capitol. They had been married for two years when Vincent entered into the service there, and left Washington, D.C. in December, 1943. The five crew members' remains were found by a local farmer on February 3, 1944, on the towering heights above Lough Cummeenapeasta on the slopes of Knocknapeasta Mountain, the fourth highest summit in Ireland. The following is posted on the website about this mountain: "In December 1943 an American Dakota aircraft crashed into the slopes of Cnoc na Péiste just above the lake. Pieces of the aircraft are still visible. A plaque there commemorates the five victims, and there is another plaque at Cronin's Yard." Frederick Vincent was the oldest child, then his sister, Adele Brossard, then Boyd, then Chandler Brossard of D.C., then NY.

After Vincent's plane went missing, Lucy received a telegram every day, plus Vincent's Uncle Edgar Bernard "Ed" Brossard was head of the US Tariff Commission in D.C., and he kept her informed of developments.

Lucy Williams Brossard married #2 Louis K Louck. They became "Page Pioneers" because Lucy's brother was in politics in AZ-- Orlando C. Williams "O.C." -- he was State Land Commissioner--that's how they heard about the GC Dam Project. They liked Northern AZ, and didn't want to live in LA again. When they checked in Kanab about the construction job she had heard about through her brother, Lucy was signed up to work for the Administrative Assistant, but when Lenuel F. "Lem" Wylie saw she was over-qualified, he made her his Executive Secretary with supervisory responsibility over the pool of secretaries while Louis was stationed in Page (5 years).

Lucy W. Louck first registered to vote in Utah on October 5, 1998. Lucy was a registered Republican voter and living at 2581 W 1400 S in Vernal, Utah, when I last spoke to her at age 100!

Lane at work at his historic home in Benson, Arizona, on June 6, 2009.

Lane had no children with his second wife, Patricia Lynnette Gilmore. They were married on September 27, 1978, in Davis, Utah.

Lane's twin daughter,
Rebecca Tess Rogers Congdon
(1974 - 2016)

Born in Princeton, NJ, and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Tess Rogers Congdon built the life she truly loved in Littleton, CO, where she passed away on Feb. 8, 2016, at the age of 41.

Tess attended Judge Memorial Catholic High School, a private school in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Tess married Derek Congdon in 1995 at Lake Oowah in Utah and graduated from the University of Utah in 1997. She also attended the University of Phoenix.

She loved 80s music, playing volleyball, traveling and watching her girls play basketball. She worked as a substitute teacher at the Littleton School District and as Competitive Registrar at Colorado Rush Sports League in Littleton.

Born on May 24, 1974, to Lane (Pat) Rogers and Judy Miller, Tess is survived by Derek and their children who were so precious to her: Twin daughters, Jaden & Sydney Congdon, Josh and Soren; brothers W. Lane (Kim) Rogers, Jr. and Eric (Teresa) Rogers; identical twin sister Brett (Drew) Kramer; mother Judy Miller; stepmother Pat Rogers; and numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Services were held on Feb. 13, 2016, at Jefferson Unitarian Church in Golden, CO.

"Page Pioneer" W. Lane Rogers, Page High School Class of 1962 - a PHS Junior in 1961 here.

He died Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 3:50 a.m. He was 64. Lane was born Williams Lane Rogers on December 29, 1944, in Salt Lake City, Utah to George Harold Rogers and Elizabeth Margaret Williams. Lane was a child when history sparked his interest. His great-great-grandfather was an early member of the Mormon church. Rogers' childhood was steeped in the history of the church — a belief system he eschewed as a pre-teen. Growing up in Utah, he was fascinated by stories of settlers moving out West.

As punishment after he was caught smoking in 1957, he was sent to live with his uncle, an engineer on Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona, in what is now the city of Page, which Lane researched for many years to write a book about its history. Page workers were housed in Kanab while the world's largest trailer court was being built.

"His uncle had been in World War II and had turned him on to a couple of World War II books. That's when he really started taking an interest in history," said Rogers' wife, Patricia.

Rogers' parents had divorced when he was a toddler, and by the time he returned from Page to live with his mother, she was ready to move on.

"His mom had a bit of wanderlust," and she moved with her son from Salt Lake City to Arizona to San Diego and back again, Patricia Rogers said.

It was at an early age, too, that Rogers had developed an interest in broadcasting as he spent countless hours sitting with his grandmother and listening to radio shows and musical programs.

Lane was a resident of Arizona for 30 years, ten years in Benson, and attended the University of Arizona.

While history, political science, and writing were his professional interests, his avocation and love was music—classical and opera, older jazz and pop music including such artists as Frank Sinatra, and Tony Bennett, who he had the pleasure of interviewing. He roomed with his PHS Music Teacher, Lloyd Taylor, in New York City and was a professional soloist and a member of choruses there.

Patricia Rogers said, "He was a myth buster. So much of the West is mythology." Bob Nilson recalls talking Benson and Arizona history with the respected historian. “He would never write anything without footnoting a reliable source; you can be sure anything he wrote was factually correct.” He was working on a book about Benson, and had “twelve three-inch thick binders” with information on the town from the 1880s to the 1950s. Lane also kept a file on Page, AZ, and planned to write a book that was factual about his former residence as well. Over the years, he collected photos and obituaries and wrote articles that he put in that file. “He had to have every detail correct before he could write the book,” says Nilson. “He had a big yellow legal pad he used to write on, and would cross out and rewrite sections every time he came across updated information. I guess that’s why he never finished his Benson book.”

He had several writing projects in progress and thousands of pages of research filed away for future books."His writing style is what I would call comfortable," said Jim R. Smith, of California, who helped research and co-author a couple of yet-to-be released books with Rogers. "He didn't use a lot of slang. He always used proper grammar and he always used the right words, but it flows. He doesn't sound like he's trying to be academic."

Lane was a prolific writer who authored over 900 articles for three Arizona newspapers. His historical columns were a “must read” in the San Pedro Valley News-Sun and the Willcox Range News. Lane was in his seventeenth year as historical columnist for Arizona Capitol Times.

His writing focused on topics of the Southwest and twentieth century eras of change. His books include When All Roads Led to Tombstone: A memoir by John Plesent Gray; Ruthless Acts: The Utah Murders; and Crimes & Misdeeds: Headlines from Arizona’s Past. Forthcoming are The California Snatch Racket and Serious Mischief: Crimes in California History, each co-authored with historian James R. Smith.

He spoke before a variety of organizations including the Arizona Historical Society, and most recently the Huachuca Museum Society. He frequently was a guest lecturer to University of Arizona classes.

His expertise covered such diverse topics as—early twentieth century crime in the West, the Apache Wars, Polygamy, labor unrest in Western Mining camps, World War I, the Great Depression, 1930s, Slavery, the modern Civil Rights Movement, Cochise County, and the San Pedro Valley.

Lane spent two decades in radio broadcasting, working in All News and Easy Listening formats in the New York-Washington corridor, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Tucson. Over the course of his broadcasting career he interviewed four United States presidents, numerous senators and congressmen, musicians, actors, and politicians for his successful radio program—PROBE.

Lane enjoyed working on the restoration of his home, The Roadmaster’s House built in 1880 by the Southern Pacific Railroad, the same year Benson was founded (when the railroad came through), and sat just yards away from the tracks, the only remaining example of a large Queen Anne style house in Benson. Strongly associated with the railroad, this residence is one of Benson's most significant buildings. The roadmaster's role was the repair and maintenance of the railroad tracks and right-of-way. It was in dire need of restoration, and they'd been fixing it up — doing most of the work themselves — for a decade. Their home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Most mornings the locomotive-loving couple could be found sitting on the home's porch, sipping coffee and talking about life and book projects while watching the trains roll by. He took great pride in caring for his yard, working almost daily, keeping the lawns and trees well kept. Numerous photo articles were written about Lane and Pat's plans to restore it -- Kathie '61 shared a large, multi-paged, photo article from the Tucson newspaper when they first purchased the house. Their home was also featured on "This Old House" or a similar TV program. On October 8, 2007, Lane said that 40 trains still go through Benson daily.

W. Lane Rogers is survived by his wife Patricia, the love of his life for 32 years. His brother Gary Rogers (Margie) of Sandy, Utah, and sisters Mary Gale and Ilene Rogers of San Diego, California. Lane was preceded in death by his sister Nancy Ruth Cox of Salt Lake City, Utah. He is survived by four children W. Lane Rogers II (Kim) of Phoenix, Arizona, Eric Lane Rogers (Teresa) of Ogden, Utah, Rachael "Brett" Kramer (Drew) of Denver, Colorado, and Rebecca "Tess" Congdon (Derek) of Littleton, Colorado. He has eight grandchildren Alexandria "Allie" Taylor Strader; Katelin Marie Rogers; Sydney Rose, Jaden Rachael, Joseph "Joe" James, and Josh Derek Congdon; Cannon Michael and Mya Rose Rogers. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews and their families. [NOTE: Rachel & Rebecca are his twin daughters who go by Tess & Brett. His kids are on Facebook.] Tess died on February 8, 2016.

Lane, 8th grade, Kanab, Utah, 1957-1958 School Year.

On Friday, June 5, 1959, Ed Brossard received an award from Brigham Young University:
AWARDS FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
EDGAR B. BROSSARD Washington, D. C.
ABRAHAM O. SMOOT PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD
Presented by Clyde D. Sandgren
President Wilkinson:
It is an honor to present Dr. Edgar Bernard Brossard, a great Church leader, a humble friend of young people, and one of Utah's most devoted public servants on the national and international scene.
He was born in Oxford, Idaho, in 1889, but moved
to Logan, Utah, in his youth. An honor scholar at Utah State University, he received his bachelor's degree from that institution in 1911. Subsequently, he was awarded master's and doctoral degrees at the University of Minnesota and an honorary doctoral degree by Utah State University.
Dr. Brossard served as a missionary in the Swiss-German Mission and presided over the Paris Branch and the French-Swiss Conference. When the French Mission was organized in October of 1912, he became its first president. Among many other Church positions, he has served as branch president, high councilman, bishop and stake president. He has recently been called by The First Presidency to serve as president of the New England States Mission.
During the thirty-five years that Dr. Brossard and his wife, the former Laura Cowley of Salt Lake City, lived in Washington, D. C, their residence was a gathering place where missionaries, service men, and others—young and old—were made to feel at home away from home.
The Church was not alone in recognizing Dr. Bros-
sard's abilities. President Calvin Coolidge appointed him a member of the United States Tariff Commission in 1925, and he was subsequently reappointed by Presidents Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. He served as chairman under the appointments made by Presidents Hoover and Eisenhower.
He has been an advisor to governments in Latin America, has served as chairman or member of international commissions with important responsibilities in world affairs and recently completed a career of forty-two years in government service, thirty-five of them with the Tariff Commission.
Mr. President, for his extraordinary contribution
through public service, I take pleasure in recommending that Dr. Edgar Bernard Brossard be presented the first Abraham O. Smoot Public Service Award.

PAGE SIGNAL - Feb 11, 1959 - PHS DEBATE TEAM:
Lane Rogers '62 (standing), Steve Brunson '61, Betty Steele '59 & Petey Lloyd '61

Lane Rogers ENHANCED

Lane's memories of growing up in Kanab, Utah and Page, Arizona:

I went to Kanab in 1957 to live with my Aunt Lucy Irene (Williams) Louck & Uncle Louis Keith Louck (1921-2006) (married December 22, 1950, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, while both worked in the American Embassy), and moved to Page the following year. Gary came to Page in 1958-1959 school year and Nancy may have as well, but it seems to me she was there only in 1960 and 1961.

Continental Trailways was the bus line between Salt Lake City and Kanab, and I suspect the route was extended to Page after the highway was completed. I have no memory whatever of picking Nancy up from a bus in Page. That she says it was 4:00 a.m. in the morning may have contributed to the memory lapse.

The Bureau (USBR) trailer court in Kanab was at the extreme south end of town on the highway to Fredonia. It was on the east side of the road and I recall only desert south of it. It was not a large court, perhaps twenty or twenty-five very small trailers. George (Gezelius) '61 the genius lived there. At Kanab, he rebuilt a 1947 Studebaker from the ground up (George belongs to the Studebaker Club to this day, 2014), and at Page he reconditioned a Government surplus 1956 Ford that he painted black and white. He was a quiet, rather shy fellow and enormously bright. Don David may have lived there. I recall him at the trailer court, but I can't place him at a specific trailer. There was a girl named Angela Englund, but I don't think she came to Page. And there may have been others I have forgotten about.

We were not in Kanab more than a few months before moving into a small house owned by one of the Heaton families. It seems to me it was on Second Street or Second Avenue or Second East or Second something. The Heaton's kept horses and a couple of cows and, for a city kid, the odor took some getting used to. The Heaton sons tried to teach me how to milk a cow, but I was a less-than-ethusiastic pupil.

My first job was at Kanab--a busboy and a little of everything else at Parry Lodge.

Kathie Nesbitt '61 informed Lane's PHS classmates of his passing.

Lane answered questions from classmates Petey Lloyd '61 and Diane Moen '62:

Saw Diane Moen '62 in Corvallis, OR in May 2006. She remembered how she played piano for one of your PHS solos and was mortified that she hadn't been able to play PERFECTLY for you. (She got some points marked off or something by the judges).

Lane's June 5, 2006 reply:

"I would hope Diane's mortification has lessened over the years. I recall nothing about the incident. Despite her mortification, however, she probably played better than I sang. I mortified myself on more than one occasion."

Diane also wrote:
"When I think of you, Lane, the first thing that comes to my mind is your great bass voice. I used to play the piano for your solos a looooooooong time ago it seems. Do you still sing?"

Lane replied, "I no longer sing professionally, but I sang professionally when I lived in New York City and roomed with our former music teacher at PHS, Lloyd Taylor."

Petey Lloyd e-mailed and asked if Lane was 6' 5".

Lane replied, "Petey has a delightfully creative memory. I am not 6'5". Nor have I ever been 6'5". I am 6'1" and probably shrinking. Intriguing memory, intriguing question.
Best, Lane"

Lane had no children with his second wife, Patricia Lynnette Gilmore. They were married on September 27, 1978, in Davis, Utah.