Colby Eagles Alumni Association
Elizabeth Ann Williams Rogers
Copyright Colby Eagles Alumni Association @ 2014
Nominated by Shirley Williams Hankins
Elizabeth Ann Williams Rogers graduated from Colby High School in 1957. Although she wasn't able to go to college right out of high school, Ann's wish was to one day get a degree. Over the next 60 years she accomplished many things. As a junior clerk for the General Tel, she was featured in the General Quarterly Magazine as 'Employee of the Quarter'.
Ann and her husband, Jim Rogers, have three sons. The youngest was only 2 years old when Ann was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis which affects every joint in her body. She didn't let that stop her from having an active life.
In 1976, Ann was elected Worthy Matron in her Eastern Star chapter and appointed a Grand Officer the next year. For over 60 years whe was a soloist in her church choir and sang for many events and organizations. She even directed the children's choir at her church for several years. Ann was always willing to help with any project at church or Star.
As a student at EWU, Ann was active in the organ donor program. She had seen first-hand how important it is as two members of her family had received organs. She worked with the Spokane Eye Bank. Ann talked to many groups and wrote articles about giving, encouraging people to sign up for organ donor cards.
In June of 1988, her wish for a college degree came true when she graduated from Eastern Washington University with a degree in journalism and a minor in communications. The next two years Ann wrote and edited her church's monthly newsletter.
When Jim retired in 1993 after 27 years as a controller at EWU, an opportunity came along for them to manage a Specialist Insurance Group. Ann ran the office and did anything that needed done, be it creating a form or writing letters. She planned seminars twice a year in different cities and handled every aspect of the two-day meeting. Ann wrote the Insurance Newsletter and was the secretary to the board of directors. As the job grew larger with new members, Ann and Jim decided after five years that it was time to retire. Ann's rheumatoid arthritis had progressed over the years, which was another reason to retire.
Ann is a breast cancer survivor and has been clear of the cancer for four years. Now she takes each day as it comes. Like the song says, 'One Day at a Time'.
