While some of you may have known Scott, you may or may not have known we were cousins. His dad and my dad were brothers. Scott was 10 months older and at least one size bigger, stronger, and faster in the physical arena.
Scott faced a lot of challenges from an early age: dyslexia, his parent's divorce when we were in the second grade, an alcoholic father who was kind but unable to set a good example, and living accomodations which varied among family members. Scott made sure I had a membership with his family to the Deseret Gym while we were growing up and on weekends we spent a lot of time there having fun and getting into trouble. He always seemed to have more money than I did and was always generous in sharing the food that he seemed able to afford but I could not. He even convinced his dad to get me a racquetball racket so we could play that while we were there. Despite many encounters which could have led to fights with other community kids, Scott made sure I was off limits for them to fight (despite my big mouth) and reserved all rights for punishment for himself. I don't mean to say that he was mean or regularly beat me up. It is just that he was the top dog (physically) and occasionally had to make me acknowledge that fact. We had the same gym class Freshman year and he always wanted to partner with me for sit-ups and other physical efforts and would push me hard to try to match his standards. I made a lot of progress because of his care and efforts and he took pride in my progress.
In many ways, Scott was the big brother I never had when I was young, although we had little time together later on. After High School and a stint in the Navy, Scott was involved in a very serious car crash off a cliff where the others in the car died but he survived (although severly injured) being in the center of the back seat. Mentally, emotionally, and physically he was never the same. It was when he was in this state that he attended our 20 year reunion. So if he seemed a lot different, he was. Scott was so excited for that reunion and talked about it for months afterwards about all of his friends from East High.
I will miss you, Scott, and hope your life is easier now!
Jon thank you so much for sharing with others a little insight into your life with Scott. I remember Scott at the 20 year reunion, wow, how time flies. Scott rest in peace my friend.
Scott was my very first friend growing up... living across the street from me on 13th avenue. We grew up together, always close friends. It's so nice to read your comments everyone! Jon... especially yours. We've all been good friends forever it seems. Your uncle, aunt, Jeff, Todd and Scott all have a spot in my heart as they all treated me with much love and respect growing up as a very young child. We moved up the street a few blocks when I was 3 years old... and it never stopped us from being close friends. It's so nice to know that we all feel similar thoughts. I ran into Scott at the 20th year reunion right after a very rough divorce, so I didn't remember much about any other that. Wish I would have paid more attention. I then ran into him downtown a few years ago again when I didn't even recognize him. He came up to me and gave me a huge hug and said..."Buff! It's Scott!!" I hugged him tight and we chatted for a little bit about his horses, etc. I am sad that I didn't have more time with him to really catch up... one of those eye-opening experiences I guess proving to be a day late and a dollar short... something I'm always now paying attention to in my own life. Hopefully I'm able to have my eyes opened wider because of this last reunion with my good friend Scott. Hopefully I'll never let an opportunity (especially to tell someone how much they meant to me) pass me by! Scott was, and still is, my good friend and brother.
Love you my good friend! I'll see you sometime again I know! =) Peace
Thanks for your interest in and concern for Scott.
I know it means something to him where his spirit abides.
Buff, we talked about you a lot and he always used to drive me crazy commenting that you guys were friends long before we were. He really cared about you, so I am not at all surprised that he hugged you on the street. Besides, did not most of the girls in our graduating class think you were very huggable?
Scott's older brother Todd, who also attended East a couple of years ahead of us, died in the late 1980s from Aids.
Buff, in the photo below, Scott and Todd are on the shoulders of others in the back, Jeff is on the front, right side, and Donna is in the back with her hair up. You should recognize the location as it was my family home which was my grandparents at that time. The photo was from about 1967-1969, I think. So, pretty close to the time you would have known Scott. If you knew our cousins, the Reeds, they are also in the photo with my grandparents.
Jon Rogers
While some of you may have known Scott, you may or may not have known we were cousins. His dad and my dad were brothers. Scott was 10 months older and at least one size bigger, stronger, and faster in the physical arena.
Scott faced a lot of challenges from an early age: dyslexia, his parent's divorce when we were in the second grade, an alcoholic father who was kind but unable to set a good example, and living accomodations which varied among family members. Scott made sure I had a membership with his family to the Deseret Gym while we were growing up and on weekends we spent a lot of time there having fun and getting into trouble. He always seemed to have more money than I did and was always generous in sharing the food that he seemed able to afford but I could not. He even convinced his dad to get me a racquetball racket so we could play that while we were there. Despite many encounters which could have led to fights with other community kids, Scott made sure I was off limits for them to fight (despite my big mouth) and reserved all rights for punishment for himself. I don't mean to say that he was mean or regularly beat me up. It is just that he was the top dog (physically) and occasionally had to make me acknowledge that fact. We had the same gym class Freshman year and he always wanted to partner with me for sit-ups and other physical efforts and would push me hard to try to match his standards. I made a lot of progress because of his care and efforts and he took pride in my progress.
In many ways, Scott was the big brother I never had when I was young, although we had little time together later on. After High School and a stint in the Navy, Scott was involved in a very serious car crash off a cliff where the others in the car died but he survived (although severly injured) being in the center of the back seat. Mentally, emotionally, and physically he was never the same. It was when he was in this state that he attended our 20 year reunion. So if he seemed a lot different, he was. Scott was so excited for that reunion and talked about it for months afterwards about all of his friends from East High.
I will miss you, Scott, and hope your life is easier now!
Alan Nagata
Jon thank you so much for sharing with others a little insight into your life with Scott. I remember Scott at the 20 year reunion, wow, how time flies. Scott rest in peace my friend.Kimberly Kempton (Gutierrez)
His obituary can be found at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/saltlaketribune/obituary.aspx?n=scott-thomas-rogers&pid=17817178&fhid=4563
Christian Jensen
Scott was my very first friend growing up... living across the street from me on 13th avenue. We grew up together, always close friends. It's so nice to read your comments everyone! Jon... especially yours. We've all been good friends forever it seems. Your uncle, aunt, Jeff, Todd and Scott all have a spot in my heart as they all treated me with much love and respect growing up as a very young child. We moved up the street a few blocks when I was 3 years old... and it never stopped us from being close friends. It's so nice to know that we all feel similar thoughts. I ran into Scott at the 20th year reunion right after a very rough divorce, so I didn't remember much about any other that. Wish I would have paid more attention. I then ran into him downtown a few years ago again when I didn't even recognize him. He came up to me and gave me a huge hug and said..."Buff! It's Scott!!" I hugged him tight and we chatted for a little bit about his horses, etc. I am sad that I didn't have more time with him to really catch up... one of those eye-opening experiences I guess proving to be a day late and a dollar short... something I'm always now paying attention to in my own life. Hopefully I'm able to have my eyes opened wider because of this last reunion with my good friend Scott. Hopefully I'll never let an opportunity (especially to tell someone how much they meant to me) pass me by! Scott was, and still is, my good friend and brother.
Love you my good friend! I'll see you sometime again I know! =) Peace
Jon Rogers
Alan, Kimberly, and Buff,
Thanks for your interest in and concern for Scott.
I know it means something to him where his spirit abides.
Buff, we talked about you a lot and he always used to drive me crazy commenting that you guys were friends long before we were. He really cared about you, so I am not at all surprised that he hugged you on the street. Besides, did not most of the girls in our graduating class think you were very huggable?
Scott's older brother Todd, who also attended East a couple of years ahead of us, died in the late 1980s from Aids.
Buff, in the photo below, Scott and Todd are on the shoulders of others in the back, Jeff is on the front, right side, and Donna is in the back with her hair up. You should recognize the location as it was my family home which was my grandparents at that time. The photo was from about 1967-1969, I think. So, pretty close to the time you would have known Scott. If you knew our cousins, the Reeds, they are also in the photo with my grandparents.