Fallen Hero: SFC Novel Lee “Buck” Rogers

Services will be held at 2:00 PM Thursday, January 4, 2018 at Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home Chapel for Mr. Novel Lee “Buck” Rogers, 86, of Petal, MS.

He died Monday, January 1, 2018 at Hattiesburg Health and Rehab Center.

Interment will be in Hillcrest Cemetery with military rites performed by the VFW Post 3036 Honor Guard.

Mr. Rogers retired as Sgt. 1st Class from the MS National Guard at Camp Shelby. He was a US Navy Veteran, having served in the Korean Conflict as a Crash Rescue Specialist aboard the USS Kearsarge (CVA-33). He was a member and Deacon at Crestview Baptist Church.

Buck was well known as the “cheerleader” as he administered to various nursing homes and Veterans centers.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Evans Rogers; parents, Ralph Rogers, Sr. and Pansy Woods; one sister, Evie Folks; one brother, R.E. Rogers, Jr. one grandsons, Andrew Crosby; two great-grandson, Matthew McGee and Jacob McGee.

He is survived by two sons, Novel Lee Rogers, II (Mary) of Petal and William Rogers (Angie) of Seminary; two daughters, Mary Crosby (Larry) Cantonment, FL and Marine Willeford (Craig) of Pagosa Springs, CO; five grandchildren, Amanda McGee, Elizabeth Hughes, Alexandra Willeford, Blake Rogers, and Nick Rogers; two great-granddaughters, Elie Hughes and Brooke Crosby.

Memorials may be made to Gideons International, 8332 w. Oaklawn Road, Biloxi, MS.

Visitation will begin 12:00 noon Thursday at Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home.