We regret to advise of the death of Lieutenant Colonel Robert “Bob” John Leslie Rogers, CD (Ret'd) of St. Albert AB on 24 February 2022 at age 85. Bob served a full career of over 35 years of Canadian Military Engineer service combining Regular and Reserve Force service as well as eight years of Honorary Colonel appointment.
Bob was born in Dawson City, YK and spent his childhood and youth there before attending the University of British Columbia under the Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP). He graduated in 1958 with a BSc in Civil Engineering. Following his Young Officers’ Course at the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering, Bob served as Works Officer with the Canadian United Nations contingent with the United Nations Emergency Force in Camp Rafah, Egypt in the Sinai Desert near the Israeli border. On return to Canada in late 1959, Bob was posted to 2 Field Squadron in Camp Gagetown NB. He was next posted to the Northwest Highway System in August 1961 in Whitehorse YT where he conducted maintenance planning and inspections on the Alaska Highway for the next three years.
In 1964, Bob was posted to Alberta Area Headquarters as SO3 Ops but his posting was cut short after only six months when he was accepted into the University of Toronto post-graduate program. Where he received his MSc in Civil Engineering a year later and then had a two year posting in National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa with the Directorate of Architecture. In 1968 Bob was posted to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania as Engineer Advisor to the Tanzanian Defence Force. He returned to Canada in the summer of 1969 and was posted to the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering in Chilliwack BC as the Officer Commanding Construction Engineering Company. A year later Bob was posted to Toronto to attend the one year Canadian Forces Staff College course.
Following Staff College, Bob was posted to 1 Construction Engineering Unit in Winnipeg MB for three years. This was followed by his appointment as the Base Construction Engineering Officer at Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg. After a year in that position, Bob decided to retire from the Regular Force and try his hand at engineering consulting work.
Bob joined Stanley Associates Engineering Limited in Edmonton in September 1975. In November of that year, he joined the Reserves and joined 8 Field Engineer Regiment in Edmonton as the Training Officer. Bob was appointed Commanding Officer about six months later when the Commanding Officer resigned. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and served as the Commanding Officer until 1979. After relinquishing command of 8 FER, Bob was posted to Northern Alberta Militia District as Deputy Commander. This was to be his last military posting. In 1992 Bob was appointed Honorary Colonel of 8 FER, a position which he proudly held until 2000.
A private interment will take place on Friday, 4 March 2022, and a memorial service will be held later this year. Online condolences can be sent to the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made in Bob’s name to Chrysalis, 13325 St. Albert Trail, Edmonton, AB, T5L 4R3 or First Baptist Church, 10031-109 St. NW, Edmonton, AB, T5J 1M1.
