Susan Ella McGalliard Rogers

Susan Ella McGalliard Rogers, 65, of Valdese, NC passed away Sunday, March 18, 2012 at Burke Hospice and Palliative Care after a ten year illness. The youngest of six children, Susan was born May 15, 1946 in Burke County to the late Colon "Cat" McGalliard and Stella Harris McGalliard. She was a 1964 graduate of Valdese High School where she was voted "The Most Likely to Succeed". Susan went on to graduate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a bachelor’s degree in English. She taught English in several Burke County Public Schools including Oak Hill High School, West Concord School, Morganton Junior High School, Freedom High School, and East Burke Middle School. Susan also taught at the Western Youth Correctional Institute in Morganton. She believed in hard work, and always had a second job. She worked for many years at Pons Insurance Agency in Valdese, and later became an agent for John Hancock Insurance.Susan was a wanderlust at heart, and her teaching career allowed her to fulfill those dreams. She used her summer months to work in different parts of the country gaining experiences that only a few of us dare to try. She worked at summer camps in the Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks where she became friends with the inner circle of President Clinton’s mother, Virginia. Susan also worked for many summers at the Dollywood Theme Park in Sevierville, TN and Yellowstone National Park. She has been and will be missed by all who knew and loved her.Susan is survived by her daughter and granddaughter, Carmen Suzanne Rogers and Madison Paige Rogers-Heavener; sisters, Delene McGalliard Wilson and brother-in-law, Glenn Wilson of Kodiak, TN, and Belinda McGalliard Woody and brother-in-law, Shelton Woody of Valdese; brothers-in-law, James Alvin Clark and Earl B. Holder, both of Valdese; a sister-in-law, Pamela Rogers Greene of Valdese; eleven nieces and nephews; nine great-nieces and nephews; and one great-great-nephew, Fletcher.In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by sisters, Irise McGalliard Fisher, Louise McGalliard Holder, and Mary Lee McGalliard Clark.Funeral services will be held at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 20, 2012 in the Chapel of the First Baptist Church of Valdese with Rev. Noel Schoonmaker officiating. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery in Valdese. The family will receive friends one hour before the service in the chapel. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s Association WNC Chapter, 31 College Place, Suite D-320, Asheville, NC 28801. Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.

The family would like to extend the greatest of gratitude and thanks to the Black Mountain Neuromedical Treatment Center, Raspberry Unit, for the care and love shown to Susan and her family over the last five years.