THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 24, 1997 TAG: 9701240484
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 45 lines
Katherine Broughton Rodgers, a very young 88, of the 200 block of 66th St., went to meet her Lord without fear on Jan. 22, 1997, in a local nursing home, after a courageous struggle with myriad ills.
Mrs. Rodgers was a native of Washington, N.C., and the daughter of the late Thomas Parrisher and Victoria Jones Parrisher of Washington. She had three sisters, all deceased, Eddie Belle Gaskins and Thelma Parrisher, Blanche Bennett, and a brother who died in an accident at an early age.
For many years, Mrs. Rodgers was a beautician who owned her own shop. She lived and worked in Ghent for a number of years prior to moving to the North End in 1958 where she proceeded to transform a sand dune into a veritable garden of Eden through persistency, consistency and a love of green growing things.
Though gardening was her passion, along with her love of dogs, particularly Scotties, (her campanion, ``Beau'' and her earlier dog, ``Misty'' accompanied her everywhere) - her church and her relationship with God were of the highest importance to her. She was on a first name relationship with her Lord and toward the end of her life, often affirmed that she was ``not afraid to meet her God face to face.''
She was married three times - first to Joseph Everett, then to Norris Broughton, and finally to Rufus Rodgers, all deceased.
In her later years, she opened her home to many people from around the world, including children, and blue eyes sparkling, would regale them with stories of her ``growing-up days'' in North Carolina, and her days on the farm. A warm, gregarious woman with the vitality that comes from the eternal optimism and faith, she will be missed by her many friends, both young and old.
She is survived by two nephews, Edmund T. ``Tommy'' Mitchell of Virginia Beach and his wife, Marjorie, Robert E. Mitchell, and his wife Jo Dare, their son, Shawn Mitchell, all of New York City; a second great-nephew, Dr. Harold Roberson of Washington, and a step-daughter-in-law, Mrs. Alvin ``Sally'' Rodgers (Ruth).
Mrs. Rodgers was an enthusiastic member of Beacon Baptist Church. Memorial donations may be made to the church c/o Glenn Stevens, Pastor, P.O. Box 4432, Virginia Beach, Va. 23454.
A chapel service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, 1997, at H.D. OLiver Funeral Apts., Laskin Road Chapel, by the Rev. Glenwood H. Stevens. The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m.
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY