James J Rogers

James J. Rogers (Jimmy), at the age of 92, left this earth to be with our Heavenly Father and his beloved wife Carol on Sunday, January 28, 2024. We would like to thank all the home care providers for their kindness and the wonderful personnel at La Posada Assisted Living and Mesilla Valley Hospice for the kind and loving way they took care of our father.

Jimmy was born in Deming, NM on June 15, 1931, to Corrine and Joe Rogers. They moved to Las Cruces in 1938. However, he always considered Las Cruces to be his home. His father passed away when he was just 18. Jimmy took over running their family business, “The Drive-In-Bar" as the sole means of income for his mother and himself. He attended the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts from 1950-1954 and was voted to serve as a TKE fraternity president. Upon Graduation with a degree in Business Administration, he fulfilled his ROTC commitment in the Army as a 1st Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. He was honorably discharged from the military in 1956 and married the love of his life, Carol Ann Chittick, on July 21, 1956.

In 1956 he tried his hand selling Life Insurance for 2 years and did not find it appealing. Jimmy became a renowned entrepreneur in Las Cruces. He owned and operated many businesses including multiple car washes. As children we can remember separating coins on the kitchen counter from the car washes he owned, and we worked to help keep clean. His boys Mike, Denny and Pat helped maintain and operate the machinery. He started developing land with Mission Bell Estates and then brought his sons Denny and Pat into the business with the Los Nogales subdivision. They also developed Brittany Estates, Summit Chase, and The Sanctuary Subdivisions. During this time, he owned the Mission Inn Motel and tore down The Drive-In-Bar to build The Rain Forrest Bar next to the Mission Inn. In 1980 Jimmy succeeded in being elected as a New Mexico State Senator for District 37. He spent the next 4 years accompanied by Carol, traveling to Santa Fe to write legislation for the state of New Mexico. He bought the Jornada Water Company in 1982 with his son Denny and later brought in his son Pat. They grew the company, including Mike as a water operator, for 34 years. Jornada Water Company was purchased by the City of Las Cruces in 2016.

His beautiful wife and our mother Carol passed away suddenly on February 28, 2012, leaving us all devastated. In February 2013, Jimmy had a stroke taking his left vision and his ability to drive. For several years, his precious granddaughter Michelle Rogers-Grandjean took him to lunch every day. Karen came to Las Cruces over the next 12 years every 4 months to spend quality time with Jimmy. Mike and Celeste became his official drivers and cooks. His sons kept him busy at the water company until he officially retired in 2014. Jimmy, to his friends and associates who knew him, was the symbol of a successful businessman in Las Cruces, but most importantly he was our father. He made sure the boys had the skills and knowledge to hunt safely. He let his daughter hold on to his belt to be able to keep up with the boys while deer hunting every November. He taught all his children how to love and support their families by modeling what real family means, and he included his children in his business ventures as partners. The family vacations were the most fun as they were usually a last-minute decision. Time was always made for yearly hunts (deer, elk, bear, dove and quail), boating on Elephant Butte with close friends and family every summer, and yearly trips to Las Vegas (he and Carol loved to gamble), Disneyland, the Wax Museum and Knotts Berry Farm, along with trips to Mexico, Mazatlan, and Corpus Christi. Life in our family was always busy and fun. Jimmy and Carol became world travelers in their Retirement years cruising to England, Paris, Monte Carlo, the Amalfi Coast, Argentina, Falkland Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Turkey, Estonia, Denmark, Sweden, China, Vietnam, Spain and Italy. They spent their summers in Ruidoso going to the races and keeping another set of close friends. Our parents were so much fun! Growing up on Hixon Drive, we had the most idyllic childhood. While our parents played cards and poker with the neighboring families, we played hide and seek with the neighboring children. They taught us how to enjoy life! Our Father taught us how to be generous and to never give up. Our Mother taught us unconditional love, kindness, and forgiveness. We will be forever grateful for the father and mother God gave us. Jimmy is survived by his 4 children and their spouses (Mike and Celeste, Denny and Kathy, Pat and Siiri, Karen and Craig), 11 Grandchildren (Mike’s) Serena (husband Lucas), Lauren (husband Dominic), stepdaughter Bree; (Denny’s) Dennis (wife Allison), Bobby (wife Michelle); (Pat’s) Mary (husband Ryan), Michelle (husband Nathan), Melissa (husband Sononi), and Megan; (Karen’s) Nick (wife Nyla), Katy (husband Jamie), and 17 Great-Grandchildren (Clara, Logan, Penelope, Maverick, Evelyn, Charlotte, Ricki Rae, Everett, Preston, Eleanor, Alice, Audrey, Kaylee, Beau, Beckett, Rayley and Riley).

Jimmy is also survived by his loving niece DeeDee and her husband Dave and family, Carl, Chandra, Brandon, Savannah, Kevin, Carleigh and Colton as well as lifelong friends Arnold and Cheri McMillan and Leslie Clayshulte.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Joe.

In his later years he was known to share jokes. He not only shared them verbally, but he would write them out for his favorite wait staff at his favorite restaurants. Please feel free to leave a favorite memory, joke or story at Legacy.com.

Though his physical body is no longer with us, our father will continue to live on in our minds and hearts.

At his request cremation has taken place and no services will be scheduled.

In Lieu of Flowers, donations can be made in James J. Rogers’ name to Mesilla Valley Hospice. Please direct cards to Karen Rogers James, 10630 Hawkhurst Way, Johns Creek, GA 30097.