11/19/12 - The political career of a Brighton area patriarch who, with his late wife, established a political dynasty will be coming to an end tonight as John Rogers sits on the Brighton Township Board of Trustees for the last time. Rogers will step down after a long career of public service. Rogersâ first career was as a public school administrator and high school coach, and he entered politics in 1968, when he was elected to his first term as a township trustee. Over the past 44 years, he has served both as a trustee and - for two non-consecutive, 4-year terms - as township supervisor, interrupted for four years by a bout with cancer. Rogers was married to another political dynamo, Joyce Rogers, the former Brighton Chamber of Commerce Director, until her death three years ago. Joyce Rogers also was involved in politics, serving on the Livingston County Board of Commissioners in the 1980s. The couple had five sons, three of whom have carved out notable careers on the national or state level in either government or the military. John Rogers, tells WHMI he was a strict disciplinarian, and instilled a strong work ethic in his sons. Rogersâ youngest son, Mike, is a congressman from the Eighth District who serves as chairman of the prestigious House Intelligence Subcommittee. Jim Rogers is a retired two-star general in the U.S. Army. His official retirement, following a distinguished, 34-year military career, was on September 1st, and the family now lives in Huntsville, Alabama. Bill, the oldest of the five sons, is in his third and final term under term limits as a state representative from Livingston County in Lansing. Chuck Rogers was a researcher at the University of Michigan until back problems forced him to retire and Bob, the other son, owns a business in Arizona. John Rogers remarried two years ago to his childhood sweetheart. Mary Rogers is currently recuperating from symptoms related to the meningitis outbreak. (TT)
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