ROGERS, Stanley James

July 29th, 1927 - April 29th, 2024

Stan was born in Bethnal Green, London, England. A boy who loved science fiction and popular mechanics, he dreamed of joining the army like his father and brother. His formidable intelligence, and a twist of fate, led him instead to become the first person in his family to attend university. He graduated from St. Andrews in Scotland with a degree in Chemistry and Physics.

During his time there he was an officer cadet in the Territorial Army. It was a time in his life that he enjoyed thoroughly and loved to reminisce about. After he graduated he became a patent and trademark agent in London, a career he relished. He came to Canada in 1957 and prospered here. He met his wife Frances and they married in 1959. He was enormously proud of the fact that she had a nursing degree, a masters of education, and was teaching in the nursing program at McMaster University.

They loved to dance and to travel, and shared 64 happy years together before her passing in August 2023. He was never very demonstrative with his four children, but we always knew he had our back through thick and thin. The cottage in Haliburton was one of his favourite projects, and we spent many happy summers there. He was a life long "do-it-yourselfer" and was always building or repairing something when he wasn't kayaking or sailing. He loved to sing and to perform with various groups both in England and then later in life with a number of groups in Burlington.

He was a proud member of Probus, and until the very end maintained a keen interest in everything around him; he had hoped to live long enough to see the results of the American elections in November. He was an interesting, complicated man and we will all miss him and his many stories enormously. Raise a glass in honour of a life well lived!

Visitation at SMITH'S FUNERAL HOME, 1167 Guelph Line (one stop light north of QEW), BURLINGTON (905-632-3333), on Saturday, June 1, 2024 from 12 p.m., with the Funeral Service at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers a donation to the United Way or the Bruce Trail Conservancy would be appreciated.