Thurman Donell Rodgers (December 1, 1934 – June 9, 2022) was a

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

. His assignments included Commanding General the United States Army Information Systems Command, United States Army Signal Center and

Fort Gordon Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in October 1941. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps, United States Army Cyber Command, and the Cyber Center of Excellence. It ...

. Rodgers attended the

Tennessee Polytechnic Institute Tennessee Technological University, commonly referred to as Tennessee Tech, is a Public university, public research university in Cookeville, Tennessee, United States. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute, and before that as ...

, graduating in 1957 with a B.S. degree in electrical engineering. He later earned an M.A. degree in public administration from the

University of Northern Colorado The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) is a public university in Greeley, Colorado. The university was founded in 1889 as the State Normal School of Colorado and has a long history in teacher education. The institution has officially changed ...

. From March 1979 to April 1981, Rodgers served as commanding officer of the

7th Signal Brigade The 7th Signal Brigade was a military communications brigade of the United States Army subordinate to the 5th Signal Command located in Germany. By the end of 1965, all USAREUR communications duties, and even the position of USAREUR Deputy Chie ...

. In April 1982, he was given command of the U.S. Army Communications Systems Agency at

Fort Monmouth Fort Monmouth is a former installation of the Department of the Army in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The post is surrounded by the communities of Eatontown, Tinton Falls and Oceanport, New Jersey, and is located about from the Atlantic Ocean. Th ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, and the U.S. Army Communication-Electronics Engineering Installation Agency at

Fort Huachuca Fort Huachuca is a United States Army installation, established on 3 March 1877 as Camp Huachuca. The garrison is now under the command of the United States Army Installation Management Command. It is in Cochise County in southeast Arizona, appr ...

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

. In September 1983, he became the commanding officer of the U.S. Army Signal Center and

, as well as commandant of the U.S. Army Signal School, in

Augusta, Georgia Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navig ...

Personal

Rodgers is the son of Lester Donell Rodgers and Johnie Dellard (McBroom) Rodgers. Rodgers married Wanda Faye Bohannon on December 28, 1956, in Cookeville, Tennessee. The couple had one son. Faye Rodgers died from a heart attack in

Northern Virginia Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is a widespread region radiating westward and southward from Washington, D.C. Wit ...

. On June 3, 1989, Rodgers remarried with Virginia June (Kent) Scobee, the widow of Space Shuttle ''Challenger'' commander Francis Richard "Dick" Scobee, in

Arlington County, Virginia Arlington County is a County (United States), county in the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the Washington, D.C., District of Co ...

. June Scobee Rodgers is a retired university professor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodgers, Thurman 1934 births 2022 deaths People from Cookeville, Tennessee Military personnel from Tennessee Tennessee Technological University alumni United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War University of Northern Colorado alumni Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Army generals Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)