Mrs. Rodgers

One thing I know about my mother: she loved to teach her kindergartners!! They brought her so much happiness!! These are the only 2 pictures I could find of Mom in her element. She cooked with her class ALL the time!! She even made green eggs and ham every year!!

The other picture is of Mom in her classroom at Garden Lakes Elementary.

I have the book that Marcia Eurich put together for Mom's funeral...it has all their favorite memories. I'll quote a couple good ones...

Telephone Calls

"This is probably the first thing we think of when we remember Dianne. I'm sure she got more calls that anyone else at our school. When Dianne ate lunch with us and the phone rang, we knew who it was for --DIANNE! --Every single day! After school we'd answer her ringing phone--"She's already gone." She loved getting those calls. She always said that her girls were her best friends."

Limeade

"Dianne got very enthusiastic one day at lunch, telling us about the fresh limeade at Sonic. As a joke the day, several people brought limes and put them in her mailbox in the office."

The Firetruck

One day last year a relative of one of Dianne's students brought some of the firemen that he worked with to talk to the kindergartners about fire safety. Afterwards, they let the children go for a ride through the parking lot. Dianne got in the front seat--I might add that she took several turns! They made the mistake of giving her the button for the horn!--She REALLY enjoyed herself! When Dianne got excited about something, she would get VERY excited! Believe me, she found that firetruck ride FUN!"

Richard

"We will miss the exciting stories of how you would go hunting in closets and under beds for fugitives. My favorite was the time Dianne told us you did a back flip to avoid being run over. What a wild job you have--almost as exciting as teaching kindergarten."

Robyn

You gave Dianne her first grandchildren--One of her greatest joys in life. She was a VERY proud grandma. She always had to parade around and show them off when you brought them to school.

Regina

We shared your mother's joy when Savannah was born. That red hair is very special. We're glad you could come so often to school so we could get to know you the past couple of years. You and your little girl will have to come visit is once in a while.

Richelle

Your mom sure worried about you driving back and forth and back and forth from Flagstaff! We're glad you kept safe! It was nice to have you around at school once in a while too. Keep in touch.

Ryan

The thing we remember the most about you are all of those years you were in the Phoenix Boys Choir--and all those fundraisers. Your mom worked hard to help you out.

Randi

You are the one I remember the most going from a little girl to a very beautiful grown up girl. You're lucky you have all those grown up sisters.

Raelynn

You are a very special girl. I know that your family loves you very much. I think it's great that you love books just like you mom always did.

On the last page Marcia wrote:

Good-bye Dianne

We'll miss your lovely smile

Your caring ways

And the ring of that little bell

Here's the Rodgers family in December 1995. We have more than doubled...married in a few good ones since then...conceived and delivered too many to count (still counting)...and lost more than our fair share...

We really are lucky to have each other...I know I would never make it without all of you freaks!!