Charles A. Rogers

Charles A. Rogers was born to Forrest J. and Vera (Bath) Rogers in Canton, Dec. 22, 1941. His intense curiosity and talents for mathematics and analytical thinking sparked a keen lifelong passion for all things science and nature related. He remembered Canton fondly; he and his brother Bill roamed the countryside, collecting butterflies and moths. At age 13 he discovered a new comet using just a 3.5-in. telescope. In ninth grade he received a first place in the Illinois State Science Fair for building a 5-in reflector telescope.

A quiet, sincere Christian, Charles always looked for signs and symbols of what God wanted him to do with his life. After graduating Canton Senior High School in 1959, he attended Northwestern University on a full scholarship, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts in Physics. He earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Illinois in 1964, continued studying high energy physics, then in 1967 began work at the Critical Mass Laboratory at Hanford in Richland, Washington. In 1970 he transferred to Westinghouse as a Nuclear Criticality Safety Specialist in support of the Fast Flux Test Facility. In 1997 he served as technical program chair for a topical meeting of the Nuclear Criticality Safety Division of the ANS. He worked in criticality safety at Hanford until retiring in 2007.

Charles pursued many interests: he was a longtime member of the Tri-City Astronomy Club, Washington Butterfly Association, Tri-City Bicycle Club, and International Folk Dancers of Richland, as well as an amateur photographer, geologist and historian. After moving to Richland, Charles joined the Inter-Mountain Alpine Club and began decades of enthusiastic wilderness hiking. He joined numerous conservation groups and worked successfully to stop a proposed dam on the last free flowing stretch of the Columbia River, to preserve the Columbia Point/Yakima Delta natural areas. An avid bicyclist, when he learned in 1975 the proposed Interstate Highway I-182 would have no bicycle/foot paths on bridges, he developed a plan and map for bike trails throughout the Tri-Cities, which was approved by Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick city councils and sent to the State Department of Highways. Over 40 miles of his proposed bike trails were built.

When Mount Saint Helens became active in 1980, he predicted a major eruption was imminent. May 17 he drove 15 miles southeast of the mountain and had a ringside seat May 18 as the eruption cloud rose 12 miles into the sky; he copyrighted several truly spectacular photos.

Ever the scholar, Charles studied and observed natural phenomenon and saw patterns that reflected God’s hands at work in history. For example, seeing Comet Halley in 1985 convinced him it could have been the Star of Bethlehem. In July 2017 he presented a speech at the International Conference on the Shroud of Turin, explaining his theory of how free electrons could have formed the image of Jesus on the shroud. Charles documented his many ideas by writing papers, and recently by posting papers on the internet website Academia.edu. His papers have been read by scholars in over 100 countries.

His lifelong love of learning was only surpassed by his wholehearted love for his family. In February 1982 he married Lorrie McVey, whom he met at folk-dancing, and the next year began life as a family man when their first of three daughters was born. They were his true pride and joy.

Charles passed away Sept. 14, 2020 at home, in Richland, Washington, after a courageous six year battle against five separate cancers.

He is survived by his wife Lorrie; three daughters, Karen Carina Rogers (and husband Craig Szymanski), Lisa Carina (and husband John) Bryson, and Rebecca Carina Rogers; grandsons Brennan Rogers Bryson and Liam Rogers Bryson; by sisters, Lucille (Paul) Wattles and Dorothy (Ron) Bybee, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Forrest Jr., and William. A celebration of Charles’ life will be held in the future.

Tributes and memories can be shared at www.LifeTributesCenter.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society.