hgazette.com, Haverhill, MA

Obituaries

Sign our guestbook

You may offer condolences and share your sympathy by leaving a message below:

comments powered by Disqus
June 28, 2007

Tribute: Agnes Blackwood Rogers, 85, longtime teacher

Mark Behan

While a teacher at the former School Street School in Haverhill, Agnes Blackwood Rogers, with help from her husband, Paul Rogers, would provide winter clothing and warm meals for her students.

"At the time, some of my mother's children (students) came from unfortunate circumstances," said Mrs. Rogers' son, Paul C. Rogers Jr. "Some of the little tykes would come to school in the winter without warm clothes or shoes and my mom and dad would help them. My parents didn't have a lot at the time, but it was important to them to help the kids."

Before teaching at School Street School, Mrs. Rogers was a high school English teacher in Barre, Vt. She taught English at the former Haverhill Trade School and was a longtime substitute teacher at the Pentucket Regional Junior and Senior High School. She also taught at Reynolds Institute on the subject of The Bible as Literature, and, after her retirement, she became a professor of English literature at Eastern Nazarene College.

"She loved her profession," Paul C. Rogers Jr. said of his mother's teaching career.

Mrs. Rogers was also co-owner of the Paul C. Rogers & Sons Family Funeral Homes of Amesbury, Haverhill, Merrimac and Newburyport with her late husband, Paul C. Rogers, and two sons.

On Sunday afternoon, June 24, 2007, Agnes Blackwood (Cubie) Rogers of West Newbury died peacefully at the home of her daughter, surrounded by her loving family. She was 85 and the devoted wife of the late Paul C. Rogers, who died Sept. 8, 1993.

"The family business started at the building in Monument Square (344 Main St., Haverhill)," said Paul C. Rogers Jr. "My mother was a teacher at the time but she also was a receptionist at the funeral home."

Mrs. Rogers was born in Peabody, Mass., on June 23, 1922. She was the daughter of the late Rev. James Murray Cubie and Catherine Brown Rankin, both of Scottish heritage.

She attended elementary and high school at Morley Grammar School in Morley, England, and graduated from Saugus High School in 1938, the day before her 16th birthday.

Mrs. Rogers continued her education at Eastern Nazarene College and graduated as salutatorian of the Class of 1938. She received her master's degree in linguistics from Salem State Teachers School, where she was valedictorian.

Mrs. Rogers, said her son, was "devoutly religious" and an active member of the West Newbury Congregational Church. She had formerly served as superintendent of the Sunday School, director of the Vacation Bible School, choir director and pianist. She led the Bible study from her home.

Known as "Nana" to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Mrs. Rogers was also actively involved in the Riverside PTA and the West Newbury and Pentucket PTA. She had been a member of the Massachusetts Teachers Union, as well as a member of the Monday Tea.

"Her life was about giving to others," said her son.

Mrs. Rogers is survived by two sons, Paul C. Rogers Jr. and wife Rose of Amesbury, and Gregory J. Rogers and wife Cymbelina of Boiling Springs, S.C.; two daughters, Cathie J. Boucher and husband Daniel of Newbury and Valerie A. Rogers and companion Jerry C. Swartz of West Newbury; grandsons, P. Cyrus Rogers III and Joshua J. Rogers of Amesbury, Maxwell Boucher and wife Monique of Newbury, Asher Boucher of Jacksonville, Fla., Adrian Muise and companion Kelley Nelson of Connecticut and Trevor H. Rogers of Boiling Springs, S.C.; granddaughters, Kellie Fiers and husband Jim of Dover, N.H., Roxanna Paradis and husband Jay of West Newbury, Andrea Muise and companion Jason Kershaw of West Newbury, Tara Pondelli of Newburyport and Valerie Muise of Haverhill; and seven great-grandchildren. She also leaves three brothers, Dr. David L. Cubie and wife Genevieve of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, Robert W. Cubie and wife LaRue of Pembroke and the Rev. James M. Cubie Jr. and wife Doreen of Awendaw, S.C.; two sisters, Catherine Taylor of Portsmouth, R.I. and the Rev. Ann C. Rearick and husband Anderson of Quincy; along with many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two brothers, Alexander P. Cubie and James R. Cubie; and her stepmother, Grace Allen Cubie.

Funeral services will be Friday, June 29, at 11 a.m. at West Newbury Congregational Church, Main Street, West Newbury followed by burial in Walnut Cemetery, Haverhill. Visiting hours at Paul C. Rogers & Sons Family Funeral Home, 334 Main St., Haverhill, will be today, June 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the West Newbury Congregational Church, P.O. Box 176, West Newbury, MA 01985.



Text Only | Photo Reprints
Obituaries

Photos of the Week