The family of Dr. Vida Rogers, age 88, of Cornelia, Georgia, is saddened to announce her passing at New Horizons Lanier Park in Gainesville on Wednesday, February 7th, 2024, after an extended illness.
Dr. Rogers was born May 11, 1935, in Worcester, MA, to the late Victor and Ida Vartanian. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Rogers, and brother, Arthur Vartanian.
Dr. Rogers attended the University of South Florida and received a master’s degree in 1975. She also attended the University of Georgia and received a Doctor of Education degree in 1983. Dr. Rogers worked in the Pinellas County, Florida school system, the Habersham County, Georgia, school system in the gifted program, and the Banks County, Georgia, school system in the gifted program, where she retired in 1997. She was very well-liked and appreciated by her students, most of whom she kept track of and stayed in touch with. Dr. Rogers’ interests were numerous, including music, art, and literature. She participated in several choirs, including the pilgrim congregational church choir. She was the chairman of The Friends of The Library program in Cornelia, Georgia, and assisted with the collection of donations. She was an active member of the Alpha Delta Kappa Honorary Teachers Sorority. Dr. Rogers supported the Smithsonian, Doctors Without Borders, The University of Georgia, Vanderbilt University, and The Nature Conservancy. She attended the First Presbyterian Church of Cornelia.
Dr. Rogers enjoyed cooking and baking- especially blueberry muffins for the EMS personnel. She was an avid card player, which runs in the family. Pitch and bridge were her favorite card games. She traveled to New England regularly for family visits and loved to go to Europe with her friends. Dr. Rogers was also an avid pottery collector who took great interest in local folk pottery. Her greatest passions were taking family photos and learning about her genealogy. She enjoyed putting together photo albums for every occasion and family trees, all of which were labeled with dates, times, and commentary.
She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who will be greatly missed by many.
She is survived by her son and his wife, David and Dana Kinnunen of Gainesville; grandchildren, Devin and Hayden Kinnunen of Gainesville, Carson and Brooke Bentley of Gillsville; Sister, Sara Jacoby of Massachusetts; nephew, James Jacoby of Scotland; niece, Kathyrn Whitehall of Washington; nephew and niece Scott Vartanian and Pam Guba, both of Massachusetts; cousin, Kim VanSickle of Maine; cousin, Joyce Davidson of Washington; and cousin, Susan Lombard of Massachusetts.
Memorial Services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 11, 2024, at the Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel, with Rev. Andy Chambers officiating. Inurnment will follow at the Yonah Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 1:30 p.m. until the funeral on Saturday, May 1, 2024, at Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Cornelia Library, 301 N Main Street, Cornelia, Georgia 30531.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel, 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535.
