Obituaries — February 25, 2010

Vogler

Mrs. Vera Vogler, 75, died on Wednesday, February 10, 2010, at St. Anne’s Mead in Southfield, Mich., after an eight-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Family was at her bedside for her passing. She had been a resident of Auburn Hills, Mich. for the last seven years, and was a former resident of Rockford for 37 years.

Mrs. Vogler was born Vera Mae Streng, on February 9, 1935, to Joseph and Dorothy Streng in Maple Grove, Mich.—the fourth of five children. A short time later, the family moved to a farm in Beal City, Mich. She was elected homecoming queen of her high school before going on to attend Central Michigan University on an academic scholarship. It is there that she met her future husband, Roger James Vogler, whom she married on June 9, 1956, shortly after earning her bachelor of science degree in home economics.

After initially residing in Garden City, Mich., Roger and Vera eventually settled in Rockford, where they raised their six children. While in Rockford, Vera was an active parishioner of Our Lady of Consolation Catholic Church as well as the Consolata Guild in Belmont.

A lover of flowers, books and the arts, she enjoyed expressing her creativity through gardening, cooking and painting. She was also an excellent seamstress who, having made her own wedding gown, found no difficulty making clothing for herself as well as her children and 18 grandchildren.

Vera also cherished people. She was an active volunteer for school functions and always looked forward to hosting another get-together, be it the local ladies Rosary group, the Consolata Guild, a neighborhood ice cream social, or a holiday gathering of friends and family.

Vera was a teacher in the Rockford Public Schools and taught at Our Lady of Consolation, River Valley and Parkside Elementary schools where she retired in 1994.

Surviving are her husband of 53 years, Roger J. Vogler of Auburn Hills; daughter, Pamela Miller (David) of Birmingham, Mich.; sons, Kevin (Michelle) of Bloomfield Hills, Craig (Tammie) of Leesburg, Va., Christopher (Carole) of DeBary, Fla., Roger M. (Karen) of Winchester, Va., Jared (Crista) of Rockville, Md.; 18 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; sisters, Patricia Fate (Robert), Maxine Finnerty (Robert), and Geraldine Schafer (Richard); brother, Fred Streng (Patricia).

Interment was in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield, Mich. As per her request, and consistent with the patriotism she imparted, her son and grandsons attended her funeral mass in full military dress. Memorial tributes may be made to: Consolata Missionary Sisters, 6801 Belmont NE, Belmont, MI 49306.