JERRY ROGERS
By Jennifer Browning
By Jennifer Browning
Greater Athens Magazine | April 2026 | 6
By Jennifer Browning
Some people leave a mark with grand speeches or big headlines. Others do it one student, one sandwich, one livestock show, one act of service at a time. In Henderson County, the name Jerry Rogers means a little bit of all of that.
At 86 years old, Rogers still believes in staying busy, staying involved, and staying useful. If you ask him what advice he’ d give his younger self, the answer comes quickly:“ Stay involved. I’ m not much on setting around and visiting. I need to be doing something.” It’ s a philosophy he credits for carrying him through a long, meaningful life filled with purpose.
From Humble Beginnings
Rogers’ story did not begin with comfort or privilege. It began in hardship, grit, and gratitude.“ I grew up poor,” he shared.“ I was born in a tenant house. It snowed the night I was born and my