ROGERS, Paula
Kalamazoo
Paula Ruth Rogers went to be with her Lord and Savior on Feb. 1, 2024, after a short battle with a very rare form of Pancreatic Cancer. Paula was born to Jay and Minnie (Nipe) DeKoning in Muskegon, MI on May 9, 1950. She was the youngest of four children with two sisters and a brother at home. She was a 1968 graduate of WMCHS and after working at Hackley Hospital as a “Candy Striper”, she began her nursing career, getting her LPN from Muskegon CC. While working at Hackley, her best friend, Rosemarie Nedeau-Cayo, suggested in 1973, moving to Kalamazoo so Rosemarie could continue her nursing education at Nazareth College. They both began working at Borgess Hospital in January of 1974 and it was there that Paula met the love of her life, Jerry Rogers, over a disagreement of wet wax and the use of a restroom outside of the ICU where Paula was working. They soon began dating and she became Mrs. Paula Rogers on April 30, 1976 at First Christian Reformed Church of Muskegon, in a ceremony conducted by her brother-in-law, Rev. Tom Bos. On May 10, 1978, Jerry and Paula were blessed by their son, Benjamin Joel and on November 6, 1979, blessed again with the birth of their daughter, Angela Christina, who have grown into adults they are extremely proud of. Paula’s childhood vacations, as they did not own a car, were trips to Detroit and Chicago by train to watch games played by her beloved Tigers and staying in big city hotels. After marrying Jerry, vacations took a new twist. Camping was a fun thing with a favorite spot being near the Mackinaw Bridge. Another favorite was the “Bi-Annual DeKoning Family Campouts” at various locations where many DeKonings would gather for a week of fun, food, and frivolity. The most recent, #19, was in South Haven where 86 family members came for a day or the whole week. Her passion for sports began with attending hockey games in Muskegon with big brother, Joel. Paula and Jerry began going to Kalamazoo Wings games in the inaugural season in 1974 and they became season ticket holders after retirement. Her passion extended to watching her Tigers on TV and attending games as often as possible. The Lions, Red Wings, Michigan State and U-of-M games were also favorites. Travel adventures were also a passion thanks to Borgess Recreation Committee (Sue Hanna) and Comstock Community Center (Kim Elliott). P & J became “World Travelers” as they went on 10 cruises and visited 32 countries around the world, with Italy being Paula’s favorite. The Sistine Chapel, Coliseum, Venice, Pompei, what fun! Paula is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, Jerry of Kalamazoo; son, Benjamin Rogers of Louisville, KY; daughter, Angela Rogers of Reading, MA; sisters, Elizabeth (Bruce) Matthews of Holland, MI and Rev. Mary (Rev. Tom) Bos of Palmetto, FL, and brother, Dr. Joel (Donna) DeKoning of Wausau, WI. Also surviving are numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and even a few great-great nieces and nephews; spread out from coast to coast, from Minnesota to Texas and all points in between. The family would like to thank Centrica Care Navigators and Kairos Dwelling for their excellent care during Paula’s final days. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Haven Church, 5350 N. Sprinkle Rd., Kalamazoo, MI 49004. Visitation will take place at the church one hour prior to the service, beginning at 10:00 AM. Private interment will be at Mt. Ever-Rest Memorial Park – South. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Grace Chapel Wilmington Children’s Ministries in Massachusetts, The Louisville Zoo or Kairos Dwelling.