Evan Rogers

TYLER — A Mass of Christian Burial for Evan Rogers, 64, of Tyler, was Monday at St. Dionysius Catholic Church in Tyler. A private family burial was at the New Ulm Catholic Cemetery in New Ulm. Arrangements have been entrusted to Hartquist Funeral Home – Tyler Chapel.

Evan died Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Evan Rogers was born July 6, 1955, in Mitchell, South Dakota and was thankful to have been adopted two weeks later by Ralph and Hazel (Laffey) Rogers. He lived with his family in Stickney, South Dakota, for the first four years of his life. Following the death of Evan’s father, he relocated with his family to various areas of the country throughout his childhood. These moves exposed him to the Pacific Northwest that always held a special place in his heart. During school, Evan was an avid athlete. Evan graduated from Mapleton High School in 1973, and went on to further his education at the University of Minnesota where he earned his bachelor of science degree, majoring in mortuary science in 1981.

Once he earned his mortician’s license, he relocated to New Ulm where he began working for the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home. Here he met Cynthia Schnichels who just so happened to return to the area for work as well. On Dec. 22, 1984, Evan and Cynthia were married at The Brig in Mitchell, South Dakota. On June 29, 1985, their Nuptial Mass was held at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Searles, Minnesota. The couple made their home in Sleepy Eye, as Cynthia grew closer to the end of her college career. In September of 1988, they relocated to Tyler where Evan began working with the Utoft Johansen Funeral Home. Evan found true meaning through meeting with families and guiding them through their time of loss as a funeral director. Each feeling Evan had, he felt deeply and empathy was no exception. Evan shared his caring nature with the people and animals he worked with in his next beloved career, which he began in November of 1999 with Christensen Farms. He later went on to work at the swine research facility operated by Ralco prior to his retirement in December of 2018. Though work brought Evan and Cynthia to Tyler, the people kept them here. They were blessed to have many great friends with whom they shared their lives together.

Evan believed that we choose our families, and thus is survived by a family beyond counting or fully naming. He will be remembered by his beloved wife of almost 35 years, Cynthia Rogers of Tyler; son, Regis (Terra) Rogers of Cincinnati; grandchildren, Regis and Reagan Rogers; parents-in-law, Mathias and Avis Schnichels; siblings-in-law, Brenda (David) Drill, Phil (Rochelle) Wagner, and six nieces and nephews, dear friends, Stacy and Reid Jorgensen and extended families.

He is also survived by three children, Danielle, William and Melissa, and eight grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Hazel and Ralph Rogers.