Franklin Leon "Lee" Rodgers

Franklin Leon “Lee” Rodgers, went home to be with his Lord and Savior February 6, 2026, at Solarbron Family-first Senior Living in Evansville, IN. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Blue Funeral Home in Goreville on Friday, February 13, 2026, and one hour before the funeral. Services will be Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. at the Blue Funeral Home with burial to follow at the Cana Cemetery.

Lee was born, November 29, 1937, in Marion, IL, the only child of Tom and Dimple Rodgers of Goreville, IL. Born in the home of his grandparents, Sam and Minnie (Kelley) Cash, he lived with his parents in Goreville for four years before the family moved to Kankakee, IL.

Lee attended grade school and high school in Kankakee, graduating from Kankakee Senior High in 1955. The recipient of a state teacher’s scholarship, he attended Illinois State Normal University in Normal, IL, and received his bachelor’s degree in business education in May 1959. Lee was married, August 15, 1959, to Judith Ann Naeve of Kankakee. The couple has five children: Jeffrey Scott Rodgers; Kent Naeve Rodgers; Leanne Rodgers Barnhart and Melody Sue (Rodgers) Plisky. Lee and Judy had a first child, Timothy Lee, that lived only nineteen hours.

Following graduation from ISNU, Lee began his career in education as a teacher, coach and administrator in LeRoy, IL from 1959-1963. Lee received his master’s degree in School Administration in August 1963, from Illinois State University and his Advanced Degree in School Administration from the University of Illinois in 1970.

He enjoyed a thirty-one-year career as superintendent of schools in Neponset (1963-64), Princeton (1964-67), Potomac (1967-72), Delavan (1972-83) and Mahomet-Seymour (1983-94). Following his retirement in 1994, Lee worked as Financial Sales Advisor for the Honeywell Corporation for five years. He continued to serve in various interim educational positions: including superintendent of the Manteno C.U.S.D. 5, Director of the Champaign County Special Education Cooperative, and several years as financial administrator for the Illinois State Board of Education Financial Oversight Committee at Cairo Community Unit School District #1.

In the early 2000s he returned to his first love, coaching. He served as volunteer coach of the Goreville High School freshman basketball team for five years. During his thirty-one years in education, Lee received numerous honors, but he treasured most having served as President of Illinois Association of School Administrators in 1978-79.

Lee and Judy retired to the family farm south of Goreville in April 2001 and maintained their family farm, Hallelujah Acres, until their passing.

Survivors include his children: Jeff Rodgers and son-in-law Ed Kruger of Louisville, KY; Kent Rodgers and daughter-in-law Lisa (Taylor) of Bloomington, IN; Leanne (Rodgers) Barnhart and son-in-law Brian of Mahomet, IL; Melody (Rodgers) Plisky and son-in-law Phil of Evansville, IN. Lee’s grandchildren are Julia Cron (Dillon), Logan Rodgers (Emily), Savannah Weber (Laura), Sierra Rodgers, Tyler Courson, Zachary Courson, Lauren Barnhart (Kevin Kozik), Michelle Barnhart, Cody Plisky, Austin Plisky, Wyatt Plisky and Sawyer Plisky. Lee’s great grandchildren are Landon and Lilah Rodgers and Wesley Cron. Lee is also survived by his dear companion Mary Lou Gander of Marion, IL.

Lee was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Judith Ann (Naeve) Rodgers; his parents Dimple Inez (Cash) and Thomas Ezra “Bill” Rodgers; and son, Timothy Lee Rodgers.

Lee enjoyed his years together with his wife, Judy, his children and grandchildren. An avid sports fan, his favorite teams were the St. Louis Cardinals, University of Illinois Fighting Illini and the Goreville Blackcats.

Memorial gifts may be made to Heart to Heart Hospice Foundation, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation or the charity of your choice.