W. Lane Rogers

I am crying buckets of tears. I just received word from Lane's wife, Patricia, that Lane passed away last Thursday.

We had such a fun time emailing each other. I could set my clock by him.

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. Dave loved him also. I will try to post his obituary later.

I have lost a faithful and wonderful friend. He never complained.

W. Lane Rogers 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 resident of Arizona for 30 years, ten years in Benson, and attended the University of Arizona.
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 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-authoredwith 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 20 years 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. He took great pride in caring for his yard working almost daily keeping the lawns and trees well kept.
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.
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. 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 Taylor Strader; Katelin Marie Rogers; Sydney Rose, Jaden Rachael, Joseph James, and Josh Derek Congdon; Cannon Michael and Mya Rose Rogers. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews and their families.
　
　
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 5, beginning with a memorial mass at Our Lady Lourdes Catholic Church at 8:00 a.m., graveside services will be at 10 a.m. at High Street Cemetery in Benson.
A memorial account has been established at Bank of America, 149 W. 4^th St., Benson, Az. 85602 to assist with funeral expenses. Donations are appreciated.
　
　
　

Alice, my sympathy to the family and to you. I know that you've lost a great friend, and the world has lost a great talent.

It is sad to hear about Lane. I echo Don's remarks.

Thanks E. Don and Abe.

I am sorry to read this. I always enjoyed his posts and had been hoping he'd return to the board. He was so smart and articulate.

Please add my condolences as well, Alice. I have a great deal of respect for Lane and his valuable insight.

And I have relearned a valuable lesson. I let his barbs get under my skin; yet, I missed his posts that he made with such clarity. I am shocked to tears though I knew him little, really. It's one thing for him to say good bye to posting here, another to have cancer take him away at such a young age. It must be difficult for those who love and cherish him and knew his burdens that he carried so quietly. I hope someone here who knew him better than me might put something with his feature to honor his gifts to us.

My lesson? I did respond in kind once; I wish I had not. I wish I could always be kind regardless of how I interpret another's behavior or remarks. No one knows the burdens people carry, and love is such an easy gift. Better to have a heart that is open than a mind that is closed.

For those who loved W. Lane Rogers and those who benefited from his talent, my condolences. I think he was too young to leave, with much more to offer this silly world.

Lane had never been sck , took an aspirin occasionaly. was a very active man. Chemo and radiation were a bit much for him.

Oddly enough, he did not feel sick upon diagnosis. I could tell he was feeling sub par when he made a typo.

He was editing my book and that book would have been perfection personified.

There will be no book now.

Dear Alice,
I am sorry for your grief, for the sadness of the people who loved him. Forgive me.

I wonder if you could continue with your book and dedicate your book to him so his efforts would not be in vain.

It is so very hard to know what is in the lives of people on message boards. We are often so very brave on the outside.

You know that is true.

Love,
Betty

No wonder his frustration and anger after we had both emailed and wandered on other messageboards with good feelings.

Life is not fair with cancer. As a doctor once said, "Those who should live die, and those who should die live."

I am here as others leave this world. Life makes no sense sometimes. Why has no answer.

My sympathies to you Alice on the loss of your friend.

Love, Carol

Thanks for letting us know, Alice. This is very sad news.

Malcolm

Alice wrote:

There will be no book now.

Why not? Dedicate it to him. I'm sure he'd like that.

Alice,

Cherish the memory of your friend. Some people see to the heart of things. Lane was one who did. You are another. He will be missed. Give yourself a little time before you decide what is the right thing to do with your book. You will know the right thing to do.

I will talk more to you soon.

Ann

Dear Carol,
I am glad that you are here.

One need not apologize for living.

Alice, Carol is right. Life does not make sense and mostly, dying makes not one bit of sense. We should all outlive our aging bodies, not die so young.

We would all rather it was so.

It all comes down to connections, heart to heart, like you and Lane connected. That connection is the deciding line whether some one grieves at your passing or not. It is the living that one does that makes the destinction. It is the living that touches the living. The dying is beyond control.

I post this poem by By Mary Elizabeth Frye, 1932 because it is my simple belief. I am not in tuned with religions, but I do believe in the spirit that we pass on through our living that connects to other life and in the connection goes on forever.


Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am the thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glint in the snow.

I am the sunlight on the ripened grain.

I am the autumn's gentle rain.

When you awaken in the morning hush,

I am the swift uplifting rush.

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there, I did not die.

We do our best at living and then there we are, set free spirits.



Love,

Betty

Yes, Betty, that is so beautiful; and I agree.

Hi Alice,

You have been missed on the forum and Lane will be missed forever. On behalf of everyone here, please send our deepest condolences to Lane's family.

Lane was, indeed, a remarkable man. You have lost a true and valued friend, who will be impossible to replace. Keep him in mind and finish your book; it is what he would have wanted.

A tribute to Lane in the Benson News:

http://www.bensonnews-sun.com/articles/2009/08/05/news/news05.txt

Thank you, All,

I love you all. It is not a good time for me to be here. I am too sad.

Yesterday was not a day of good news. We received word that our wonderful son-in-law has thyroid cancer.

It would be nice to get some good news today, or at least--no more bad.

Now all the anti PA people--I am sure glad I went with PA I met Lane and he confided in me. That was worth it right there.

Far better than being a NYT best seller.

Bad news. Very sorry to hear it. Lane was a talented person, a fine writer and a true gentleman. It is unfortunate that some people took his blunt but honest advice the wrong way.

Today's good news, Alice, according to Cancer Research UK, is:

Over 9 out of 10 people (90%) with papillary thyroid cancer are alive 10 years or more after they were diagnosed.

Lane was direct. you always knew exactly what he thought and why.


I was ranting and raving to him about something and finally said, "I am afraid I am turning into my brother."

His response, "Have you quit eating yet?"

I laughed until I about died.

Beautiful poem, Betty. I agree with the others Alice. Finish the book. I am sure Lane would not want you to abandon it. Blessings to you and all who mourn his passing.

Shelagh wrote:

Today's good news, Alice, according to Cancer Research UK, is:

Over 9 out of 10 people (90%) with papillary thyroid cancer are alive 10 years or more after they were diagnosed.

Thank you, Shelagh.

Lane showed me how me how to die fast with no fuss, but I can't seem to get the hang of it.

I am a slow learner --hope my son-in-law is too.

Yes Alice, slow is often better than fast as long as the pain is not too much to bear. I do hope your son-in-law is okay.