Barbara Rogers

Barbara Ann Rogers died peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by family, after a long illness, on July 3, 2025.

Barbara was born in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago on August 13, in a year that she felt was nobody’s business to know. Her parents were Adam Rasinski and Millie nee Kwiatkowski.

She attended Resurrection High School for one year and then graduated from St. Stanislaus Kostka High School. She was named one of the Chicago Tribune’s “Star Students” in the year of her graduation.

She married Edward Joseph Rogers on August 6, 1955. The couple lived on Damen Avenue in Bucktown, but soon moved to Honore Street, as their family began to grow, where they lived until 1961. They then moved to Wolfram Street, in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood of Chicago, where they lived for 15 years. They finally moved to Wellington Street, in the Montclare neighborhood of Chicago, where they lived for more than 45 years.

Barbara was very active in her church, St. William’s. She sang in the choir, and as a soloist. She starred in a church production of “Pirates of Penzance”, which was part of the “Clowning at the Corners” community event. She worked at the church rectory as a volunteer for many years, until a broken hip sidelined her in 2024. In 2019, she was awarded a trophy and a framed certificate as “Parishioner of the Year” in recognition of her years of service to the parish.

Barbara loved music. In 1988, she fulfilled a lifelong dream of attending college. She received her associate’s degree in music from Wright Junior College in Chicago. The family celebrated her graduation with a surprise party, where a kazoo rendition of “Pomp and Circumstance” was played.

Once her children were grown, Barbara worked at Parentheses (an educational service center in Oak Park), and then later, at the Chicago Sinfonietta, where she did office work. She later worked at Peryam and Kroll, helping with market research.

Barbara loved TV game shows, board games, puzzles and shopping. She was an avid collector of Hall teapots and flamingos. She was also an avid Publisher’s Clearing House contestant, convinced that one day, she was going to win the big jackpot.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband Edward in April of 2013. She is survived by:

Five children—Carol (Ken Swinnerton), Eileen, Joyce Thompson (Scott MacLauchlin), Paul (Kate), and Mark (Edlyn Castil);

Twelve grandchildren–Grace and Sam Swinnerton, April (Chris Keckler), Helen and Hannah Novak, Katie (Ben Hammer), Clare (Jeff Bogen), Ellen (Michael Reynders), Stanley Rogers, Audrey Loomis, Nate Rogers and Caitlynn Castil (Tyler Muench);

Ten great-grandchildren—Oliver Novak, Jillian, David and Eli Hammer, Blaise and Edie Bogen, and Rose, Aurelia, Maris and Rush Reynders;

Two sisters-in-law—Patricia (the late Leo) Lucas, and Barbara (the late Jimmy) Rasinski;

One brother-in-law—Larry Knapp (the late Jeanne);

Her long-time caregiver and friend—Gina Palese;

Nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and neighbors.

The family would like to thank the staff at Lexington Square of Lombard for their compassion and care during the last 15 months of Barbara’s life.

In accordance with Barbara’s wishes, a memorial mass will be held at St. William’s Church in Chicago, 2600 N. Sayre, on Saturday, August 9, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a luncheon and celebration of life at St. William’s Liebrich Hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made in Barbara’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org