Josephine “J” Rodgers

Age 80


Born in Buenos Aires on December 30, 1931, J grew up in a bilingual multi-cultural environment. Her schooling was in Spanish; English was spoken at home as her parents were from Texas and Illinois. Service was a tradition in her family. During WWI her father went overseas with the American Field Service and when the U.S. entered the fight for freedom he joined the French Foreign Legion. Immediately after the war her mother practiced Public Health Nursing in Texas.

In 1949 the family moved back to the United States to live in Texas. At college in Virginia J studied French and Spanish literature – still her great love. After college, she moved to Houston where she worked for the Foreign Department of Texas Commerce Bank. In Houston she found the loving companion of her life, Tom, who had served the nation in the U.S. Army throughout WW II. They married in 1956 and had many good years with Tom practicing architecture and J raising their three children. During the earlier years J taught Spanish at a church school and received a Masters degree from Rice University. She then taught English as a Second Language and eventually became the director of the Language Programs at the School of Continuing Studies at Rice University.

J and Tom moved to the Hallmark about ten years ago, five years after Tom was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder. Tom gradually lost his mobility, had to move to “Health Care,” and died in June of 2011.

J has been able to remain positive and engaged by volunteering as a grant writer for two charitable organizations, Casa de Esperanza, which takes care of at risk children, and for Disability 101, which offers educational programs for individuals coping with long-term medical disorders. She also continues to learn by belonging to a local Chautauqua study club and bolsters her positive outlook by horseback riding. Last year she qualified to become a member of the Dressage Foundation’s Century Club, successfully completing a test of horse and rider whose combined ages add up to 100 years.

J says, "It's just the way I am. I always have to be positive. I think being positive and being grateful are probably the two most important ingredients. Then you begin to build on that, and that's what makes me want to do something useful and stay involved. And if you stay involved...you have to stay engaged. I think one thing builds on another, so you get a platform that you want to work off of. And sometimes, yes, it's serious things, but other times it's just you want to have fun."

“It is easy to be grateful when you can still help others and lead a full life at age 80!” J exclaims.