William "Raz" Rodgers

William "Raz" Rodgers, 92, died Thursday, November 2, 2006 long illness in the Fayette Nursing and Rehab Center in Fayetteville, West Virginia. He was born on May 2, 1914 in Camp Hill, Alabama and as a very young child with his family moved to Amherstdale, West Virginia, where his father was employed in the underground coal mines of Amherst Coal Company. Mr. Rodgers grew up in Amherstdale and his first job was driving the delivery wagon for the Amherst #1 Company Store where he delivered groceries and livestock feed for the customers of this store in and around Amherstdale. He was then employed as an automobile driver by A. S. J. Hopkins, chief engineer of Amherst Coal Company. In 1929, Mr. Rodgers was employed by Herbert E. Jones, Sr. as a driver, a job he held with many other duties, until Mr. Jones died in May 1977. His career with Mr. Jones involved driving many thousands of miles. During this period he met many prominent railroad and coal officials who were doing business with Amherst Coal Company and Logan County Coal Corporation. He also knew many political figures. On the 15th of March 1941 Mr. Rodgers was inducted into active duty in the United States Army. He went to Texas for his basic training then to New Orleans driving large vehicles for the loading of ships. Later in that same year he went to Hawaii where he was involved with heavy equipment for the United States Army into the port area of Pearl Harbor. He continued to do this until his release from active duty on the 22nd of May 1945. He was discharged with a Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal and the Asiatic Pacific Theater Campaign Medal. Immediately upon his return from Hawaii in 1945 Mr. Rodgers returned to his employment with Mr. Herbert E. Jones, Sr. His duties included driving, meeting business associates, transporting them to hotels, offices and meetings and making arrangements for their stays. Mr. Rodgers was also responsible for looking after Mr. Jones' homeplace at Lundale Farm in Oak Hill, West Virginia. After Mr. Jones' death in 1977, he continued looking after this homeplace for Charles T. And Mary Ellen Jones until he went to Fayette Nursing and Rehab Center in March 2003. Visitation will be Tuesday, November 7, 2006 from 5:00pm until 7:00pm at Tyree Funeral Home, Oak Hill. There will be a private burial at the Jones Family Cemetery on Lundale Farm.