Obituary Record

Emmett Rogert
Died on 11/25/2006
Buried in Blair Cemetery

#1 This long obituary is taken from the collection in the Notebook of Long Obituaries. The original newspaper article can be found in the Blair Library, Genealogy Room.

Published in the Pilot Tribune, November 28, 2006

ROGERT REMEMBERED AS TIRELESS CIVIC LEADER

LONGTIME CO. BOARD MEMBER DIES FROM INJURIES IN CRASH THAT KILLED 2 OTHERS by Jim Brazda, reporter

(veteran)

(picture) caption: “He really, really believed in Washington County and would do anything he could to promote it….and we’re going to miss him as a friend.” -Harlo Wilcox, current Washington County Board member.

One of Blair’s and Washington County’s biggest champions died this weekend of injuries sustained earlier this month in a car accident.

Emmett Rogert, 79, died Saturday, Nov. 25, at Creighton University Memorial Hospital.

Born in Herman in 1927, Rogert graduated from Herman High School in 1943 before serving 18 months in the U.S. Army at the West Point Academy.

After his service in the military, Rogert and his father bought a filling station at 17th and Front streets in Blair, which Rogert would operate for the next 45 years.

Much of his spare time was devoted to civic duties, including 27 years on the Blair Volunteer Fire Department, the Blair City Parks Board, and the Washington County Fair Board.

Rogert was elected to the Washington County Board of Supervisors in 1971 where he would serve until he retired in 1998. In 2002 he received the Blair Community Schools Foundation Distinguished Service Award and in 2003 he was awarded the Gateway Development Corporation’s first Emmett Award, named in his honor, to recognize the economic development achievements of individuals in Washington County.

State Sen. Mick Mines was awarded the Emmett Award at Gateway’s annual meeting earlier this month.

“Just to be recognized by an award named after him is very,very special to me,” Mines said.

Rogert had been a leader in the community for decades, Mines said, not only as a small business man, but as a thoughtful and prudent leader.

“He really cared about Blair,’ Mines said. “To serve as long as he did takes a huge commitment of his time and family. Emmett was a true leader.”

Rogert transcended generations and political ideals in his leadership on the county board, Mines said. He carefully weighed every issue presented and usually came up with the right decision.

“Emmett was indeed a pinnacle in our community,” said Lloyd Scheve, Blair City Councilman and a founding member and longtime president of Gateway. “He was someone I looked up to since I moved here 25 years ago.”

Rogert was instrumental in establishing Gateway as a tool for economic development in Washington County, Scheve said. As a county supervisor, Rogert was the “nucleus” at the county level that was “able to see the importance of a unified effort of economic development,” Scheve said.

It was Rogert’s personal mission to establish Gateway and get the county board to support it with the initial funding to get started.

Gateway would not be where it is today without the initiative of Rogert, Mines said.

“He really, really believed in Washington County and would do anything he could to promote it,” said current county board chairman Harlo Wilcox. “We’ve missed him since he’s been off the board, and we’re going to miss him as a friend.”

Rogert was also a big supporter of tourism in Washington County. He helped to establish a lodging tax on Washington County hotels which is used to establish the tourism committee and encourage tourists to visit the county.

“It is a deep loss for our community overall,” Scheve said.

Rogert was injured in a head-on collision November 16 on the New York Creek Bridge about a quarter of a mile south of Herman. The accident also claimed the lives of Eugene Christiansen, 87, and his wife, Joan, 84, who both died the day of the accident.

#2 -From the World-Herald, November 27, 2006

ROGERT - - Emmett, age 79 of Blair. Survived by wife Betty; daughters and sons-in-law, Angela and Robert Brickson, Kansas City, MO; Sally and John Schroder, Ft. Collins, CO; Joan Rogert, Omaha; Patty and Rick Plugge, Blair; Jill and Phil Tobin, Des Moines, IA; Susanne Rogert, Omaha; 12 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren.

Services 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, First Lutheran Church in Blair. Burial Blair Cemetery. Visitation will begin 11:00 a.m. Tuesday with family receiving friends from 6 to 8:00 p.m. at the Funeral Home. Memorials to First Lutheran Church.

CAMPBELL-AMAN FUNERAL HOME, Blair, NE 402-426-2191

#3 Funeral Leaflet

Emmett Rogert was born July 26, 1927 to Emma and Herman Rogert in Herman, Nebraska. He attended Broderson School and was confirmed at St. John’s Church in Washington County in August of 1940. Emmett attended high school in Herman and Fort Morgan, Colorado, and graduated from Herman High School in 1943. He served 18 months in the U.S. Army at West Point Academy.

He and his father bought a filling station and tank wagon service at 17th and Front Streets in Blair, and Emmett ran Rogert Oil Company for the next 45 years.

In June of 1951 he married Betty Jorgensen, and together they raised seven children. During that time Emmett devoted much of his spare time to civic duties. He served on the Blair Volunteer Fire Department for 27 years, First Lutheran Church Council, Blair City Parks Board, and the Washington County Fair Board. Emmett was a member of the Blair Chamber of Commerce, who honored him with the Community Service Award in 1998. Emmett was elected to the Washington County Board of Supervisors in 1971 and continued to serve until his retirement in 1998. He was active in the Washington County Democratic party, and was proud to support many candidates over the years. A longtime proponent of the public-school system, Emmett received the Blair Community Schools Foundation’s Distinguished Award in 2002. He was one of the founding members of the Gateway Development Corporation, and in 2003 he received the 1st annual Emmett Award from them.

In retirement, his best times were spent with his wife, Betty, fishing in Canada or traveling the countryside in search of antique fishing lures.

Emmett was preceded in death by his brother, Arnold Rogert, his sister, Phyllis Rogert, and his son John Rogert. He is survived by his wife, Betty; daughters and sons-in-law, Angela and Bob Brickson, Overland Park, Kansas; Sally and John Schroder, Ft. Collins, Colorado; Joan Rogert, Omaha, Nebraska; Patty and Rick Plugge, Blair, Nebraska; Jill and Phillip Tobin, Des Moines, Iowa and Suzanne Rogert, Omaha, Nebraska. Emmett had twelve grandchildren: Natalie, Libby and John Brickson; Becky Marion; Emily and Kyle Schroder; John C. Schroder, Erin McCrimmon, Hank and Max Plugge; Jessica and Brett Tobin. He is survived by two sister: Ada McGargill of Omaha and Harriet Potter of Sun City, Arizona.

In Loving Memory of Emmett Rogert

Born July 26, 1927 Herman, Nebraska ~ Entered Into Rest November 25, 2006 Omaha, Nebraska

Services 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, November 29, 2006 First Lutheran Church, Blair, Nebraska. Officiating: Rev. Bill Shaner, Rev. Frank Philipp. Organist: Clare Cowing. Vocalist: David Carlsen. Vocal Selections: “On Eagle’s Wings”, “The Lord’s Prayer”. Congregational Hymns: “Blest Be The Tie That Binds”, “Children of the Heavenly Father”

Casket Bearers: John Brickson, Max Plugge, Kyle Schroder, Hank Plugge, Kent Rogert, Brett Tobin

Military Graveside Services: Blair Cemetery, Blair, Nebraska

Arrangements by Campbell-Aman Funeral Home

~~~Obituary and funeral leaflet courtesy of Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and leaflets on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska~~~

FindaGrave # 110305516

Printed in the Washington County Pilot-Tribune on 11/28/2006


[BACK]