Earl “Butch” Rogers

Born in Glenwood Springs, Butch called Crawford home for over 40 years. He passed away on October 2 at age 78 at his home. Memorial service will be at First Baptist Church in Hotchkiss on Saturday, October 10th at 11:00.

He was the only boy in a family with four sisters. Butch loved the outdoors. He learned to hunt from his three brothers-in-law after his dad passed away when he was just seven. They took him on deer and elk hunting trips in the mountains around Aspen and Snowmass, and those memories meant a lot to him.  Hunting game birds became much more fun with his beloved bird dogs who accompanied him on trips to Idaho.  His love for birds even inspired him to raise game birds like pheasants, quail, chukars, and turkeys.

Shooting, reloading, going up on Black mesa to pick chokecherries and hunt for mushrooms were things that kept him busy. More recently, he enjoyed beekeeping. He was fascinated with how the bees would work together and communicate and could spend hours watching the bees and loved sharing honey with friends. When his children were young there were camping trips in the mountains around Crawford, to Utah and boating in Lake Powell with his extended family.

Butch truly loved the Crawford community and called it home. As an EMT and volunteer firefighter, he served on the boards of the North Fork Ambulance Association and the Crawford Volunteer Fire Department. A longtime member of First Baptist Church, he served as a trustee for years and on the board of the North Fork Christian Academy. He had a soft spot for young families and cherished the brotherhood he had with so many of the men at church.

He’s survived by his sister Jo Ann, who stayed close to him all his life—as Butch put it, they always looked out for each other. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews. He was so proud of his kids—Josh, Emily and her husband Jordan, and Nathan. Being a father was a great privilege and joy for Butch.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the First Baptist Church of Hotchkiss.