Former Town of Wrightsville Beach Mayor Luther T. “Buddy” Rogers Jr., 88, passed away Monday, May 5, after a brief stay at Davis Health Care Center.
Rogers served as mayor from 1965 to 1971 after many years on the Wrightsville Beach Board of Alderman. He was instrumental in Wrightsville Beach’s annexation of Harbor Island.
Rogers was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Nov, 16, 1925, to Luther T. Rogers Sr. and Annie Lea Rutherford Rogers. Buddy grew up in the Seagate Community, moving to Wrightsville Beach in 1935.
After serving his country in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Rogers enrolled at North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, later N.C. State University, where he graduated with a degree in civil engineering in 1950.
He raised his family on the south end of Harbor Island with his wife of 58 years, Katherine Gardner “Kat” Rogers.
Through his work with Luther T. Rogers, Inc., the company his father started in 1918, Rogers contributed to construction of many Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach landmarks such as D. C. Virgo Junior High School; First Christian Church; Westminster Presbyterian Church; Windermere Presbyterian Church; the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher; and Wrightsville Beach School, Ocean View Motel and Apartments, and The Silver Gull Apartments in Wrightsville Beach.
Rogers also served his community as a member of the Wilmington Kiwanis Club and was an Elder Emeritus at The Little Chapel on the Boardwalk Presbyterian Church.
Rogers is survived by his son Luther T. “Tommy” Rogers, III and wife Tammy; his daughter Katherine R. “Scottie” Anderson; and grandchildren Katherine A. “Kate” Finch, Erin Elizabeth Anderson, Wilson T. Anderson, Edward Turner Rogers and Noah Thomas Rogers. He is also survived by his brother Julian R. Rogers and wife Betty; his sister-in-law Julia P. Rogers; his sister-in-law Charlotte G. Walton and husband — Buddy’s first cousin John William “Bill” Walton Jr. — along with a multitude of cousins and close family.
A celebration of life will be held at The Little Chapel on the Boardwalk Thursday, May 8, at 1 p.m. with the Reverend Pat Rabun officiating.
Following the service a reception will be held in the church fellowship hall.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to The Little Chapel on the Boardwalk, PCUSA, 2 West Fayetteville St., Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480 or to the Gardner-Goldberg Scholarship Fund at Cape Fear Community College Foundation, 411 N. Front St., Wilmington, NC, 28401.
