STEAMBURG, N.Y. - Rutherford "Russ" E. Rodgers, 75, of North Loop Road, Steamburg, passed away at 10:02 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, at home.
He was born March 11, 1934, in Elko Township, N.Y., the son of Percy and Myra (Johnson) Rodgers.
Russ attended Salamanca High School, and then en-tered the U.S. Army, serv-ing during the Korean con-flict in Newfoundland from 1950 to 1953. He was a 25-year career police off-icer with the Seneca Nation Marshals Office and earlier had worked for Fancher Furniture in Salamanca. He was an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indi-ans Hawk Clan. Russ was a member of the Hughes Ski-ba Post 535 American Le-gion in Salamanca, and was a former member of the Na-tional Rifle Association. He was an avid sportsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing and watching NASCAR.
He is survived by his mother, Myra Rodgers of Salamanca; his wife and companion, Laura E. Schreckengost Rodgers; several nieces, nephews and cousins, his beloved niece, Sharon John of Little Valley, and her late hus-band, then Cattaraugus County Sheriff Dennis B. John; and beloved cousin, Virginia Strasser of Steam-burg.
He was preceded in death by his father, Percy; and brother, Verona Rodgers.
A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday (No-vember 22, 2009) in the VanRensselaer & Son Fun-eral Home, 14 Church St., Randolph. The family will be present to receive family and friends one hour prior to the memorial in the fun-eral home. The Rev. Bran-don Crouse will officiate.
To leave a condolence for the family log onto: www.vanrensselaerandsonfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be sent in lieu of flowers to the Sene-ca Nation Library or the American Heart Associa-tion.
