Mr. Rogers was born January 3, 1948, in Sharon, a son of Leslie Bernard Rogers and Violet Marie (Pollock) Rogers.

He spent the first eight years of his life in Sharon playing street games with neighborhood kids and moved to Sharpsville in 1956. Dave loved sports and was blessed with great athletic skills and a determination to win. His days were filled with countless hours on the basketball court at the former Deeter School in Sharpsville, many innings on the local sandlot and numerous plays on the football field. Baseball was his passion and he was on the all-star team in the Babe Ruth league. He played every game, in every sport, the way it was supposed to be played. Growing up in Sharpsville, he forged many great relationships with numerous friends and teammates. He was a Sharpsville Blue Devil through and through. Upon graduating from Sharpsville High School in 1966, where he was a football letterman, he was a member and former officer of the Varsity S Club and was its last acting President. He coached midget football and baseball and helped build the Sharpsville Little League fields that are still in use today.

He also spent time with friends camping, hunting and fishing. He enjoyed swimming in Lake Erie with his family, attending Cleveland Indians games with his father & brother Rick and attending Cleveland Browns training camp sessions at Hiram College with his parents and sisters, Diane & Denise.

At age 15, he became a volunteer fireman for the Sharpsville Volunteer Fire Department and also found work cutting grass and cleaning the floors at a local barber shop.

At age 18, he began working at the former Westinghouse transformer plants in Reynolds and Sharon. His most tenured job was as a coil winder in the I-40 building. He also played in the Westinghouse softball league. He later worked for Universal Rundel in New Castle, followed by 10 years at Dietrich Industries in Warren, OH. He retired from Wheatland Tube Co. in July 2015, after 20 years of service.

He was a proud member of the Local USW 1660.

He married Gloria Bogdan, who he referred to as "my honey," on October 24, 1970 in St. Bartholomew's Church, Sharpsville. They have two children, Jason & Kristen. There isn't a word strong enough to explain his devotion to his family. His strong demeanor was perfectly balanced with a loving heart. Everything he did focused on being with and supporting his family. He was the most unselfish, loving husband and father.

Dave was a member of the Church of Notre Dame, Hermitage, and found great joy in volunteering his time at Notre Dame Parochial Grade School.

Family gatherings were always filled with great stories, laughter and witty comments. He always found time to be involved in the life of his children. His time was spent coaching baseball, camping with Boy Scots of America (B.S.A.) Troop #7, and teaching his son how to excel in different sports. For his daughter, Dave drove endless miles to support her and her love of twirling with the Centurions and enjoyed trips with his wife to Notre Dame University to support his daughter in national competitions.

He embraced time with all family members including, his father- and mother-in-law, Alex and Eleanor Bogdan, brother- and sister-in-law, Ed and Carol Truchan and brothers-in-law, Mike Javorsky and Joe Mistretta; nieces and nephews; and Betty Blakeley, a friend of Dave's father. His list of friends is endless, but he found a brotherhood with Bill "Billy May" Maykowski and Gerald "Fox" Peterson.

He loved his son-in-law Nate and daughter-in-law Missy like they were his own children. Their families became his family. He relived his days of playing sports with a great admiration for Nate's baseball and football skills.

He was blessed to spend time with his two grandchildren, R.J. (age 15) and Ale' (age 5), and affectionately referred to them as "RG" and his "Al-Belle" – his little helper. They called him Papa. He loved watching R.J. play youth baseball and attended all of his school plays and concerts. He loved coloring and reading with Ale. The sky was the limit for his love of time with them.

"In his spare time," he was always tinkering with a project for his trains or making picnic tables, benches, tool boxes, etc. His hands were never idle and he was very creative. He kept his love for baseball going by making baseball bats by hand, not on a lathe. His favorites were the ones specifically made for his father, son, son-in-law and grandson.

He is survived by: his wife, Gloria, at home; his son, Jason Rogers and his wife Darla "Missy"; a daughter, Kristen Banick and her husband Nathan "Nate", all Hermitage; two grandchildren, Richard Joseph Rogers and Allesandra Jade Banick; and two sisters Diane Mistretta and her husband Joe, also Hermitage; and Denise Javorsky and her husband Mike, Mercer.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Rick.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Hillman Cancer Center, c/o UPMC Cancer Pavilion, Suite 1B, 5150 Centre Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15232.

Calling hours will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, August 21, 2016 , in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon.

A prayer service will be held at 12:45 p.m. Monday, August 22, 2016 , in the funeral home, followed by a procession to the Church of Notre Dame, Hermitage, where a Funeral Mass will be held at 1:30 p.m. , with Rev. Jeffery Noble, pastor, as celebrant.

Entombment: St. Rose Cemetery Mausoleum, Hermitage.