Longtime Elmhurst resident Dr. Thomas J. Rogers, DDS, was loved and prayed into the next life while surrounded by his cherished family on Sept. 2, 2020. He was 88. He was the dear husband of Barbara J. and the late Carol M. and the loving, much-admired father of Pattie (David Bolter), John (Barbara) and Lynn (Michael) Petrak. To say that he was proud of his grandchildren – Kevin, Samantha, Matthew, Christine, Katie, Jack and Annie – is an understatement; they were the light of his long, full life. He is also survived by his sister, Cornelia French Stagg of Savannah, Ga., and his nieces and nephew. Born and raised in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, he was a proud graduate and longtime supporter of St. Ignatius College Prep (1950) and the University of Notre Dame (1954). After serving in the United States Army Dental Corps upon graduation from Loyola Dental School, he practiced dentistry in Villa Park for nearly 40 years and lived with his family in Elmhurst for 45 years. Former member (and regular reunion organizer) of the Elmhurst Jaycees, the Chicago Dental Society and the Immaculate Conception High School Parents Club, among several other organizations. Whether you knew him as “Doc”, Honey, Tommy Joe, Daddio, Papa or Bumpa, you understood that he was a man guided by faith, principle, generosity and skill, from fixing a crown to building a dock at his beloved summer home on Hamlin Lake in Ludington, Mich. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a memorial service will be held at a later time to accommodate his many friends and loved ones. In his honor, you can pray the Hail Mary, hum the Notre Dame Fight Song, or toast to “Health, Happiness, Love and Peace” with a vodka gimlet on the rocks with lots of ice. Those wishing to make a contribution in his memory are encouraged to donate to IC Catholic Prep, Attn: Development Office, 217 S. Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst, IL 60126; or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959. Arrangements provided by Gibbons Funeral Home. Info: gibbonsfuneralhome.com
