Luella Johnson Rogers

Luella Jean Johnson Rogers died Monday, Feb. 12, 2018 at Ochsner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans, LA at the age of 86. She was the beloved wife of Clyde Edgar Rogers (deceased); loving mother of Carolyn Telthorst, Dinah Rogers, Lucy Joseph, and grandmother of Callie Joseph. Luella was the daughter of Walter Johnson (deceased) and Lucy Grimes Johnson (deceased) both of St. Louis, MO, and sister of Carolyn Kemper of St. Charles, MO. Luella is also survived by one aunt, Ruth Frances Astroth of St. Louis, MO, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Luella was born on Sept. 11, 1931 in Overland, MO. She was an active participant in Job's Daughters and graduated from Ritenour High School in St. Louis in 1949. She attended Central Methodist College in Fayette, MO, where she met Clyde Edgar Rogers. They married on Aug. 23, 1953. They were married for 25 years before his death in 1979. Luella started her teaching career in Boonville, MO, finishing that first career of 17 years at Fayette Middle School. She then attended the University of Missouri Journalism School where she received a Masters degree. Her second career as a newspaper copy editor began at the Memphis Press-Scimitar in 1982. She was a Food Editor and copy editor at The Sun-Herald in Gulfport, MS, and a copy editor at The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, MS. She retired in 1992 and moved to New Orleans where she lived with her daughters and granddaughter until her death. One former co-worker said to her daughter, “your mom loved the English language and was a strong warrior for its proper use.”

Luella loved to read – books of all genres, magazines, newspapers, and even junk mail. She also loved babies, dark chocolate, dogs and cats, and eating out. In her later years, she enjoyed watching CNN and her favorite cop shows on television.

Her family would like to thank everyone at Ochsner Foundation hospitals and Touro Infirmary for their care and kindness during the last years of her life, as well as home health care workers and physical therapists. In particular, the family would like to thank the doctors and staff of the Ochsner Hospital ICU who attended her in the last hour of her life.

There will be a memorial service in New Orleans at Trinity Episcopal Church Friday, March 9th with visitation at 5, followed by a funeral service at 6 pm. An additional memorial service will take place Mother’s Day weekend. On Friday, May 11th a memorial service will be held at 11 am at Harmony United Methodist Church in St. Louis, followed by a reception and lunch in the fellowship hall. The burial of her ashes will be at Walnut Ridge Cemetery in Fayette, MO, Saturday, May 12th at 2 pm. The public is invited to attend all events.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that charitable donations are made in her name to Trinity Loaves and Fishes through the website https://www.trinitynola.com/donatenow