In loving memory of 

EVELYN  (MILLER)  ROGERS GUTHRIE

GLADSTONE,  MO

brother the late William R. Miller of Chanute, KS, who  died Sept. 12, 2002

Evelyn  Rogers was born in Independence, KS and moved, with her parents, to Bethel, KS  where she  attended school.  She grew up in this small suburb  of Kansas City, Kansas.  She was taught to worship  the Lord and to attend His worship services on Sunday.  She met her first husband, Warren G. Rogers,  when he came to Bethel to visit his brother.  Warren met Evelyn Miller at the Bethel Presbyterian Church, Evelyn was only 16 years old, but Warren was an older man of twenty – with a good job and a car!     (for Warren's page,. click here)

Evelyn and Warren married on Sept 6, 1941.   World War II started just 2 months later.   Warren joined the air force and off they went" into the wild blue yonder. "

Evelyn worked for the Government during WWII in McAllen, Texas where Warren was stationed with the Army/Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. After the War, Warren and Evelyn purchased property on North Tracy and built their home together with the help of Evelyn’s father, Bill Miller. Warren was an aircraft mechanic at General Motors prior to going to work as an aviation mechanic at Trans World Airlines (TWA). Evelyn also worked at the General Motors plant in Fairfax, Kansas, at night for 2 ½ years, while building their home. Evelyn also went to work for TWA in 1964 in the Payroll Department and retired from TWA after 20 years of service.

 Evelyn  and Warren G. Rogers were  Charter Members and both were former Elders f Northminster. They helped start this church in the early 1950’s while  attending the First  Presbyterian Church of NKC and realizing a need for a church further North, near Gladstone. Evelyn contributed to both churches in every way possible, she could never say no when called upon to do God’s work. Evelyn was the church secretary for over 10 years and set up an office on the back porch of their home at 5406 N. Tracy. Every Saturday afternoon and evening, would find Evelyn typing and cranking out the church bulletin for the next morning on an old mimeograph machine; preparing newsletters, and church directories. She also fulfilled the roles of loving wife to Warren and nurturing mother and role model to their two daughters, Lana and Marsha. She was pregnant with Marsha in 1954 when the first services of Northminster were held at the Bit and Spur Club.  Evelyn’s sister, Florence (Miller) McGinnis, drove from Bethel, Kansas, to serve as the pianist; she  was there every Sunday morning to provide music for the worship service.

In addition to her secretarial duties at the church,  Evelyn taught several Sunday School classes for various ages and was instrumental in starting Vacation Bible School programs. She served on several church building committees, pulpit committees – there were several ministers to be chosen during her tenure of over 40 years with Northminster. She also sang in the choir for years almost up until her death. She was extremely active in the Women of the Church and establishing various Circles. She worked countless hours in the "tiny kitchen", helped establish the one-a-month Family Nights on Friday nights.

 To quote from Evelyn’s autobiography, "these were always exciting nights for everyone to share dinner together, and some form of entertainment. Most of the congregation were young parents, like us, so we all had a lot in common. None of us had much money, but pledged our tithe to the church, and in so doing, established the present church which is still growing and serving many today. God continues to bless our church and also us." 

When her mother, Amy Johnson Miller moved to Gladstone in the late 1960’s, she also became active in Northminster and became involved with the Women of the Church until her death in 1983. Women still talk about how much Evelyn’s mother, Amy, contributed to their circle meetings – Amy was a published author/writer in her own right with only an eighth grade education.