By Staff
April 21, 2008
Funeral for William E. “Buddy” Rodgers, 86, of Hartselle was Wednesday, Apr. 23, at 11 a.m. at Forrest Chapel United Methodist Church with the Revs. Gene Lankford and Bobby Ray Halbrooks officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing.
Burial with full military honors was in the adjoining cemetery.
Mr. Rodgers died Monday, Apr. 21, 2008, at his residence. He was born Jan. 12, 1922, in Morgan County to William Robert Rodgers and Mary Lucretia Templeton Rodgers. He graduated from Morgan County High School and attended the University of Alabama. A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Air Force as a pilot where he flew the P-47 and P-51. He flew 120 combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Silver Cross Medal and the D.F.C. Flying Cross Air Medal. He retired from the Air National Guard with the rank of major.
He served on the Hartselle City Council and owned the Rodgers and Rodgers bus line that ran from Hartselle and Decatur. His love for nature inspired him to purchase undeveloped property in Cullman County and develop what is now known as Hurricane Creek Park. He spent 40 years there preparing trails and talking to visitors to the park. He was a member of Forrest Chapel United Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Othella Rodgers and Joyce DeVaney and a brother, Ed Rodgers.
He is survived by a brother, Bob Rodgers of Decatur; and three sisters, Mary Frances Rodgers, Margaret Dahlgren and Carolyn Nicholson, all of Hartselle;
The men of Forrest Chapel United Methodist Church served as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Hurricane Creek Park staff members.
The family requests that any memorial be made to Forrest Chapel United Methodist Church.