Donald F. Rodgers
October 1, 1926 – April 21, 2019
Donald F. Rodgers, age 92, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Easter morning, April 21, 2019.
Donald was born on October 1, 1926, to John (Matt) Rodgers and Anastasia (Anna) Rodgers, nee McKenna, in the cradle of modern American civilization, The Bronx, New York. He was the youngest of six children.
Donald graduated from Mount St. Michael Academy in December 1944, completing senior year early in order to join the war effort. It will come as no surprise to those that knew him that he was voted most influential by his classmates. He enlisted in the United States Army and was sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for basic training. He was assigned to the mechanized infantry and departed the West Coast in August 1945 and arrived in the Philippines in September where he served for seven months. He was discharged from active duty in October 1946. He continued to serve in the Army Reserve until 1956.
Upon his discharge from the Army, Donald availed himself of the GI Bill and enrolled in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. He graduated in 1952 and returned to New York City to work for Local 15 of the International Union of Operating Engineers as a business agent.
In 1952, Donald began dating Maureen Riesz, a student at St. Vincent’s nursing school in New York City. They were married in November, 1953 and remained devoted to one another for more than 65 years. Donald and Maureen were blessed with a family of five loving children, 11 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
After his service as a labor representative for Local 15, Donald moved to serve as Executive Director of the Board of Urban Affairs of N.Y. Building & Construction Industry. In 1970 he aided Peter Brennan, President of the N.Y. Building Trades Council, in establishing a group known as Hardhats. They were a core group of what became to be known as the “Silent Majority”.
In 1972 he joined the White House staff of President Nixon as Special Consultant to the President for Labor and served concurrently as Counselor to the Secretary of Labor.
Returning to the private sector in 1974, he headed an expanded department of Government Relations at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. In 1980 he joined the election campaign of Ronald Reagan as Labor Advisor, served on the White House staff, and then on to the Synthetic Fuels Corp. He ended government service as Assistant Director of The Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service in 1993.
Other activities in politics included Labor Advisor in the election campaigns of U.S. Senator James Buckley of New York and Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York.
After retiring, Donald and Maureen enjoyed 20 years of seaside living in Bethany Beach, Delaware, where they formed many friendships and hosted countless beach weeks with their children and grandchildren. Although he was not a fan of sun and sand and rarely stepped foot on the beach himself, Donald was an integral part of the grandchildren’s visits, dispensing his wisdom over donuts at breakfast, teaching them how to remove all traces of sand before entering the house, and encouraging them always to continue to learn, ask questions, and to be true to their family.
Donald was an avid reader and student of history who often referenced the great lessons of the past as they applied to contemporary events. He was a patriot throughout his entire life and often said that being born an American was one of the greatest gifts bestowed by the Almighty.
Donald is survived by Maureen and their children: Donna and her husband David Hazzard and their children Christopher, Caitlin and her husband Austin Barton and their children Monroe and McKella; Janice; Nancy and her husband Michael Willis and their children Brendan and his wife Alexandra, Daniel, and Colleen; Mark and his wife Sharon and their children Kathryn, Kevin, and Connor; and Maureen and her husband Paul Amuso and their children Patrick, Bradley, and Mary Clare, as well as devoted nieces and nephews.
Funeral arrangements will be private.