Baxley Funeral Home announces the funeral services for Edith Elease Akins Rogers. Funeral services were held at 12:00 p.m. Saturday, January 4 from Thankful New Jersey Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. B. J. Virgil officiating and the Rev. Wayne Rogers presiding. Interment was in Old Field Cemetery.

God unveiled his master plan and called Elease to her final resting place on December 28, 2013.

Elease was born March 1, 1930 in Appling County to the parentage of the late Otis Akins and Marie Akins Butler. She was raised by her late grandparents, Ezra and Lillie (Cray) Akins.

Elease graduated in the Class of 1948 of Peabody High School in Eastman. The class motto was "Go along the road that leads to bigger things." In 1952, she graduated from nursing school at the Post Graduate Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, as a trained Practical Nurse. In 1953, she received her LPN (Practical Nurse License), from the Board of Examiners of Practical Nurses in the state of Georgia. She later became a Certified Operating Room Technician.

On Oct. 4, 1952, Edith Elease was united in holy matrimony to Eddie Rogers of Telfair County. They resided in Baxley until 1960 when they moved to Norwalk, Connecticut. Three lovely children, the late Eloyce Lynn Price, Daryl Rogers and Kathy Rogers Brock were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Rogers.

Mrs. Rogers was employed at the Norwalk Hospital until she retired in 1990 after 30 years of distinguished service.

She began her walk with God at an early age as a member of Mizpah Baptist Church. In Norwalk, she was a member of Saint James Missionary Baptist Church. She served as a member of the Senior Choir, the Senior Missionary Society and President of the Women's Auxiliary, just to name a few affiliations. Since 1989, Mrs. Rogers has been a dedicated member of the Thankful New Jersey Missionary Baptist Church and has served as the Secretary for the Senior Missionary Society and as a deaconess. Mrs. Rogers was a faithful and enthusiastic prayer warrior, who regularly attended church services, Bible study, prayer meetings and Sunday school.

Her parents, grandparents and daughter, Eloyce Lynn Price, preceded her in death.

Survivors include her loving and devoted husband, Eddie Rogers of Baxley; children, Daryl Rogers of Enfield, CT and Kathy (David) Brock of Orlando, FL; stepchildren, Jackie (Darrell) Dunn of Port St. Lucie, FL, Jimmie (Joyce) McLeod of Palatka, FL and Reggie Smith of Fort Pierce, FL; one sister, Jackie (Boyd) Davis of Baxley; three brothers, Alnorris (Ida) Butler and Dale (Lenda) Butler, both of Baxley and Felix (Retha) Butler of Vidalia; sisters-in-law, Frances DeShazor and the Rev. Evelyn Rogers, both of Baxley, Joyce Kornegay of Atlanta, Alice Kornegay of Jacksonville, FL and Pearlie Mae Sumner of Fort Pierce, FL; brothers-in-law, Bishop Lucious (Idell) Rogers, Bobby (Rose) Rogers and Harold (Theresa) Rogers, all of Baxley and Wayne (Rose) Rogers of Pooler; stepsisters, Delores (James) Harris of Orlando, FL, Carolyn Watts of Baxley, Gwen Williams of LaGrange and Susan Sampson of Warner Robins; stepbrothers, Reuben (Louise) Butler of Orlando, FL, Wally (Earlene) Butler of Baxley and Donnie Butler of Macon; she also leaves 11 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends.

Active pallbearers were Karl Rogers, Stacy Wilkerson, Michael Rogers, Reggie Rogers, Arrick Jackson and Janard Butler.

Honorary pallbearers were Harold Rogers, Bobby Rogers, the Rev. Wayne Rogers, Alnorris Butler, Felix Butler and Dale Butler.

Musical selections were rendered by a combined choir.