Vale PDG Bernie Rogers

15 October 1944 – 8 November 2024

With his distinctive mutton chops and outlandish wardrobe of colourful vests, many knew PDG Bernard “Bernie” Alan Rogers as a polio survivor, with a cheeky grin and a love of fellowship. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Hall since 31 December 1998.

Bernie passed away at Canberra Hospital on November 8, 2024, aged 80. He was was a beloved community leader, former Royal Navy pilot and a passionate youth advocate. His remarkable journey from a sickly child in wartime Wales to a distinguished community servant in Australia embodied resilience, faith, and unwavering dedication to others.

Born in Penarth, Wales, during the tumultuous final months of World War II, Bernie’s early life was marked by significant health challenges. Despite recurring hospitalisations and a childhood battle with polio, his indomitable spirit prevailed. Amongst numerous transformative events including struggling with fitness and weight issues, he joined the Scout movement. This experience, coupled with his introduction to the Methodist Church, would shape his lifelong commitment to youth development and spiritual service. His natural leadership abilities emerged early as he became president of the church youth club and joined the drama group, foreshadowing a lifetime of community engagement.

Bernie’s distinguished career began in the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm, where he was one of just six successful candidates from over 4,000 applicants. His aviation journey started with the Tiger Moth, memorably including a solo flight under the Tamar Bridge, and progressed to piloting Jet Provost and Hawker Hunter aircraft. During this time, he also qualified as a lay preacher, maintaining his connection to spiritual service even while serving in the military.

After migrating to Australia with his wife Liz, Bernie established himself as an exceptional Air Traffic Controller in Sydney. His team’s achievement of 72 flight movements in one hour at Sydney Flow Control in 1988 – a feat considered impossible – exemplified his professional excellence. Later working as an air crash investigator.

Bernie’s commitment to community service was expressed through the Rotary Club of Hall, where he became Club President and then District Governor in 2007-08. His dedication to Rotary’s global polio eradication campaign was deeply personal, inspired by his own childhood experience with the disease. This commitment took him to India, where he participated in childhood vaccination programs and also earned him an International Service Award for raising the profile of polio immunisation.

Bernie was focused on youth development. Pictured above at the Charter of the University of Canberra Rotaract Club sponsored by the Rotary Club of Hall.

As captain of the Jeir Bush Fire Brigade and later as Chaplain to the NSW Rural Fire Service, Bernie demonstrated his dedication to public safety and spiritual support. His faith journey led him to become a lay preacher in both the Methodist then the Uniting Churches, culminating in earning a Master of Theology at age 69 and appointment as pastor at the Wattle Park Uniting Church in Hall in 2013.

Current Rotary Club of Hall President John Kenworthy remembered Bernie as a man of “honesty and integrity,” noting, “He was a deeply religious man who actually practiced his religion in his daily life. He had a willingness to get involved in community service and never said no to anything!”

Throughout his life, Bernie maintained diverse interests, from his childhood love of train spotting and the Great Western Railway to becoming a two-time Napoleonic Wargames Champion at the Canberra Convention. His passion for youth development, first kindled in his Scout days and church youth club leadership, remained constant, implementing many youth projects through the Rotary Club of Hall.

Despite facing multiple health challenges throughout his life, including polio, smallpox and various forms of cancer, Bernie’s commitment to community service never wavered. His resilience in the face of adversity inspired all who knew him.

Bernie is survived by his wife of 56 years, Liz, daughter Nerys, son-in-law Tristan, and grandchildren Cian and Myka. His legacy lives on through the countless lives he touched and the community he helped build.

The world has lost a remarkable individual whose life exemplified the values of service above self, unwavering faith, and dedication to building a better future for younger generations. Bernie Rogers’ impact on his community will be remembered for generations to come.