Etta LaTonne Rodgers peacefully left this world on April 16, 2024 while watching the sunshine, hummingbirds and flowers from her beloved sunporch. We are so honored to have been with her over the last couple of weeks and listening to her reminisce of her childhood memories, stories of us growing up on her and dad’s farm and reminding us to love each other strongly while glorifying Jesus every day.
LaTonne Lewis was born to Clydell & Vada Lewis on July 29, 1941 in Gorman, TX. She grew up in Desdemona TX on the family farm learning how to work the land with her parents while tending to the cattle, raising chickens and egg production as a family business, planting and cultivating an abundant garden each summer and bringing home every kind of wild animal she could find to take care of with Granny Lewis’s blessing and Grandad Clydell’s pretend frown. She was raised in the Desdemona Church of Christ with rich family ties to lead her by example and nourish her deep faith in God and all His creation on earth and in heaven. She graduated from Desdemona High School in 1959 as class Valedictorian and began working as a secretary at Southwestern Peanuts in Gorman TX. In 1963, she met her tall, dark prince charming at a basketball game while he was refereeing with his cousin and she played hard to get. Thankfully, she was smitten and dad didn’t give up and they were married on July 30, 1965 in Desdemona, TX. They moved to Carbon TX in 1965 and dad began teaching Ag at Carbon High School. They were blessed with two girls, Lori Kim and Jonna Lynn, and gave them the childhood they dreamed of and taught them everything good and right but mostly about how to honor God and love others.
Over the years, she worked part-time at several businesses where she made new friendships and reconnected with old ones. She worked at Eastland Telegram, KEAS radio station, Coats Furniture and Peanut Producers in Gorman, TX. Regardless of where she worked, she always picked us up from school, helped us with our homework and had supper ready by the time dad got home. We were completely bonded to her and believed she was magic and could fix any injury or heartbreak.
Mom was always involved in our school and church activities and helped us with 4-H food shows, stock shows, church camp, volunteer class sponsor, VBS and many other activities. Over the last several years, she became very involved with the Carbon Volunteer Fire Department and wanted to help give back to the community that lost so much in the 2006 Carbon fire. Alongside some of her closest friends, she helped implement the auction at the annual Carbon Fire Department fish fry every October. She enjoyed working with all the different area and county-wide businesses by asking for donations and attracting new supporters for the CVFD family.
Mom and dad have been members of Daugherty Street Church of Christ for over 45 years and have had many close friendships over the years with their fellow Christians. Mom has intentionally put her faith and God first throughout her life and continued to do so even after she became ill and wasn’t able to attend. Pure joy filled her heart when she got to be in church and worship and give thanks for her continued, abundant blessings all while never complaining of her illness, only the precious time she’s had with her family and friends and her beautiful life. Her family was her heart and she loved each of us fiercely and reminded us every time she spoke to us to remember who we are and who’s we are. Our hearts will never be the same without her here to keep raising us.
LaTonne is survived by her husband, John Rodgers of Carbon; daughter Kim Cauthern (Wayne) of Graham, TX; daughter Jonna Herrera of Roscoe, TX; grandchildren JulieAnn Gehring (Stephen) of Graham, TX; Will Cauthern of Graham, TX; Mia Herrera of Abilene TX; John Ruben Herrera of Roscoe TX; and Layla Herrera of Roscoe TX; brother Grant Lewis of Desdemona; brother/sister-in-law Bob & Kathy Rodgers of Brownwood and sister-in-law Joyce Gilbert of Katy, TX. LaTonne was preceded in death by her parents, Clydell & Vada Lewis.
Service will be at Daugherty Street Church of Christ in Eastland TX at 10AM on Friday, April 19th with Gary Montgomery and Larry Roberts officiating. Interment will be at Murray Cemetery in Carbon, TX immediately following service. Family visitation will be at Edward’s Funeral Home from 5-7PM on Thursday, April 18th.
Pallbearers will be Stephen Gehring, Rowan Gehring, John Ruben Herrera, Will Cauthern, Stephen McDonald, Mike Bledsoe, Jody Forbus, Brad Stacy, Zack Rice and Doyle Russell.
In lieu of flowers, mom requested donations be made to the Foster’s Home for Children, 1779 N Graham, Stephenville TX 76401.
