Michael Girard Rogers, loving partner to JillainaWachendorf, devoted father to Dustin Rogers, Douglas Rogers, and Jeanne’ (Dan) Weihrauch and his cherished granddaughter Sydney Weihrauch, passed away in his Monument CO home on December 17, 2022 at age 66 after an extended battle with cancer.  

Mike was a man of many talents. His diverse interests, determination to succeed, and fearless spirit led him to a life filled with out of the ordinary experiences such as at age 18, hitchhiking to Canada to homestead in thewilderness and surviving a face to face encounter with a grizzly bear!  When Mike was interested in something, he found a hands-on way to learn, experience, and master what ever it was.

Born to Jeanne Mary (Rogers) Kain, nee Buril, and Harry William Rogers in St. Paul MN on June 22, 1956, he was the 5th of 10 children.  Mike proved his will to live at a very young age by surviving two serious health issues. At age 4, Mike fell on a sharp coffee can and seriously cut his right knee resulting in a long hospitalization to save his leg. Then again at age 10, shortly after the premature death of his father, he was hospitalized for rheumatic fever. With so many children to care for, his widowed mother (who Mike revered throughout his life) was not able to visit Mike in the hospital very often during his extended stays.  His love for healthcare and healing others likely came from those early childhood experiences where he relied on the skills and compassion of the nurses and doctors who were his daily companions.

Mike’s life’s work was in physical therapy, mostly in acute neurological rehab settings.  He helped people with the most serious injuries and illnesses regain independence.  Mike learned his therapy skills mostly through apprenticeships and lots of self-study for the text book learning that was necessary.  It wasn’t the easy path, but he started his family at a young age and had to make a living concurrently with achieving his professional credentials. In fact, Mike’s aptitude for healing actually came quite naturally. He practiced physical therapy long before it became his career. In his teenage years, Mike stretched and exercised the legs of a friend with MS to help straighten and strengthen them. He became aware of his gift when his friend’s doctor acknowledged the physical progress made through Mike’s care. 

Outside of work, Mike developed many skills.  Some of these were born of passion and some of necessity, but Mike was the best at taking on any challenge. The list is long and varied: recognized artist (painting and photography); distance runner; auto mechanic; horse and dog trainer; year-round fisherman extraordinaire (especially Walleye); grouse hunter with his beloved Brittanys, Spirit and Forest;gold prospector; excellent cook; would be paleontologist, archeologist and history buff; skilled outdoorsman; fishing resort owner (his favorite gig of all, getting paid to take people fishing!)  Mike was a general “find anything, fix anything” kind of guy.  Jillaina’s family once voted Mikethe person they would all want to be with in the apocalypse!

Mike is survived by his family named above, his daughter by choice, Anna Claiborne, (David) and children Alex & A.J.; his best friend Deanna Miller, (Randy) and sons Matt & Zach; Jillaina’s children Sam and Ethan; his sisters Cecilia, “Cece” (Kenneth) Snook, Mary Rardin; his brothers Joe (Marilou), Jim (Ann), Tom, and Arthur(Sherie); many nieces and nephews and his ex-wife JuliRogers.  Mike also leaves behind his beloved pets: Coco the mule, dogs Piper and Poppy, and Miko the cat. 

Mike was preceded in death by his grandparents, father Harry, mother Jeanne, stepfather  William Kain; his siblings Kathleen (David) Kawalek, Richard (Jan) Rogers, and Kenneth (Judy) Rogers.  

The family is planning a Remembrance and Celebration of Life gathering in northern MN for early summer 2023.  Date and details to be posted on Mike’s Caring Bridge page at this link –  https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mgrogerslifelonghealer