Patricia Lou Rogers Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Patti (Cooper) Johnson Rogers passed on December 28, 2020, leaving behind a flood of memories that will be cherished by her wonderful children forever. Patti was born to Jim and Maude Cooper on December 16, 1927 in Lansing, Michigan, where Jim and Maude were touring with a traveling “tent” show. So, she was literally “born in a trunk”! Her father, Jim, was a talented character actor who had his own theater in Portsmouth, Ohio, though he was best remembered as the calm and reassuring voice of “Genial Jim Cooper” on WBNS radio as the newscaster four times a day for 12 years, mostly during WW2 war years. His voice was heard throughout Ohio, giving his audience a sense that “everything’s going to be alright”. Maudie, as she was fondly known, was multi-talented: leaving school in 8th grade, she went into vaudeville, as a singer, piano player and actress, which is how they met. Jim and Maudie passed their talent to their daughter, who from an early age loved being in front of an audience. She was known in Columbus for her beautiful singing voice, both in pop music and opera. She sang with several dance band during her college years, was staff vocalist at WBNS, performed on Sunday morning’s “Voice of the Church” and on WOSU’s “Farm and Home Hour” among other appearances at the college station while a student. Patti made her concert debut with the (then) Columbus Philharmonic Orchestra. She also appeared with the Miami Opera Guild while living in Miami. Patti spent four years at The Ohio State University but married one semester before graduating. At age 40, she returned to college at University of South Florida and graduated with honors and became a high-school English teacher.

Patricia Lou Rogers

December 16, 1927 - December 28, 2020