Matthew "Matt" Rogers Obituary (1957 - 2025) - Browns Summit, North Carolina

Matthew “Matt” Ward Rogers, 68, passed away on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 at his home in Browns Summit, NC, surrounded, supported and loved by his wife, Stephie and daughters, Laura and Elizabeth, after a long and heroic battle with lung cancer. Matt was born on June 14, 1957 in Manchester, TN to Fletcher W. and Barbara Anne Patton Rogers, both of whom predeceased him. Born on Flag Day, young Matt believed everyone was honoring his birthday when displaying their flags. The family moved to Greensboro, NC with Matt, his older sister, Beth, and younger brother, Brad, in 1963. From a child, Matt was incredibly creative, always active, and quite inquisitive. He was a learner for life on every topic, constantly researching, building things and creating. If he didn’t know how to do it, he would read a book about it, learn it and never forget it! From a wooden toy train set he built as a young boy that was displayed in a hobby shop window to later restoring an entire 1957 Chevrolet truck, he was never still for very long. This joy for learning something new every day, creating and doing gave him a larger-than-life, charismatic personality. Matt never met a stranger, and was gifted and known for teaching others and sharing his knowledge in his own quirky Matt way to anyone who would be quiet enough to listen, oftentimes with a four legged companion by his side. Matt truly was a gifted teacher, guiding anyone willing to go under his wing. His motto in life was, “You can be good at one thing, or you could be great at a lot of things, just get out there and learn.” Matt was all about helping people, and passing on all of the wonderful things he had learned and shared with others. Matt graduated from Page High School in Greensboro in 1976 and was a record-breaking cross country athlete. He attended High Point College, now High Point University, on a running scholarship. Matt moved to Robbins, NC and worked for Lee Creek Pottery in Southern Pines. He became a father in 1980 with his first daughter, Ashley, and would often place her as a baby beside him on his wedging table near the warmth of his kiln when he worked late at night. She has cherished memories of creating with clay as a child with her dad. Matt moved to Oak Ridge, NC in 1983 and established Oak Ridge Pottery while teaching pottery classes and turning at various shows, including City Stage in Greensboro. In 1984, he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art from High Point College. Matt taught art for Mt. Airy Public Schools then for Greensboro Public Schools, while also coaching the track and cross country team for Page High School. His second daughter, Laura, was born in 1988 and remembers him as an open encyclopedia; giving the entire background and history of any question he was asked and constantly being challenged to go the extra mile. Matt used his welding abilities as a sign fabricator and maintained his own landscaping business. In 1990, his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, was born and he began working for Heat Transfer Sales of the Carolinas. He started the Pump’nFlo product line of prefabricated HVAC pump stations for the company in 1992 and was the working manager of this line until 2000 when he began working as a field service and certified start up technician. He was also an alignment specialist, proficient in trouble shooting, as well as training and repair of commercial HVAC systems. As a HVAC Lead Technician/Trainer, Matt was known as “Boss man” in this company for over 34 years. Matt was a great teacher and mentor and touched so many lives in a positive way that it’s hard to quantify. The talents, accomplishments and hobbies of Matt Rogers were as limitless as his personality. Most refer to him as a “Renaissance man”, and even he oftentimes would refer to himself as a “Jack of all trades, and master of most.” How true this was. One of his great passions was picking his 5-string banjo “Earl Scruggs style” with his girls, various bluegrass bands and friends. Elizabeth has fond memories of playing music with him as she would try to keep up on the fiddle while he would be picking on his banjo. Matt thoroughly enjoyed building and restoring banjos and other instruments, running, hiking and camping, landscaping and gardening, paint and pencil drawing, pottery, fishing, working on his old Starcraft boat, Chevrolet trucks, Go-Karts for his girls, motorcycles, and Morris Garages cars (MG’s), his prized possession being his MGB “LILB”, cooking, carpentry, engineering, storytelling, being in the presence of friends and family, and bragging on his three girls and nine grandchildren. His love of cooking was so fierce that he built a smoker. His grandchildren think of these words when remembering “Grandaddy”/ “Papa Matt”: driven, creative, intelligent, artistic, craftsman, beach, seafood, and love. Out of all the accomplishments he had in life, he reminded the “Rogers Girls” they were among his greatest. They were expected to “get at it early and don’t be burning your daylight,” and to be great at a lot of things. In their dad’s eyes, they were. He would say to many with great pride, “My girls are such hard workers, they put grown men to shame.” To many, Matt was the mentor of mentors, but to the Rogers Girls, he was “Daddy”, a father who loved and delighted in them, a hero, a best friend. They felt honored to be his daughters for his short-lived life on earth. Matt is survived by his wife, Stephanie of Browns Summit; his daughter, Ashley Crutchfield and husband, Tommy of Summerfield, NC; his daughter, Laura Nance and husband, Cody of Colfax, NC; his daughter, Elizabeth Switajewski and husband, Troy of Floyd, VA. In addition, he is survived by nine grandchildren: Lahna, Savannah, and Olivia Crutchfield; Weston and Emersyn Nance; and Lila, Eloise, Adeline, and Tristan Switajewski. He is also survived by his sister, Beth (Lewis) Pate; his brother, Brad Rogers; his niece, Andrea (Sean) Fletcher and their sons, Connor, Owen and Jack; his niece, Candice (Kenna) Wellman and their children, Emma, Thomas and Anna, and cousins. Matt truly was a philosopher of his own way, yet could appreciate, see beauty, and find deep joy in the simplest of things, giving all the credit to his Creator. Just before his passing, he shared with several people, “My prayer for today...Lord make my name and accomplishments bitter in my mouth and Your Name sweet and refreshing like wildflower honey.” The world seen through his eyes, the creativity through his hands and the endless expressions of the workings of his mind will truly be missed. He has left a great legacy of love and knowledge to all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to AuthoraCare Collective, Greensboro Office, 2500 Summit Ave, Greensboro, NC 27405 or on their website at http://www.authoracare.org. In accordance with his wishes, there will be no formal services. The legacy of Matt Rogers will live on in the hearts of his family and friends. To quote Matt, “As long as they keep talking about you, you’re never gone.” We could write a book on the life of Matt Rogers of all the wonderful things he did, and the knowledge he had to share. We can only imagine the size of the party in Heaven right now. We are able to move on in life knowing that you are resting on the shores of heaven, watching over us and talking God’s ear off right now! Rest easy, Daddy, until we meet again. We love you to Heaven and back, Forever, Your Girls A few quotes by Matt, otherwise known by him as “Mattisms”: "Learn something new every day...and teach it to others. Have them recite it back to you." "CONNECT....God puts a face or voice from the past in your memory to wake you up! Call an old acquaintance to reconnect and reconcile." "Teach your children to be respectful and honest....leaders are not born...they are raised." “Rejoice in everything! Wake up every morning and proclaim, ain’t nobody gonna steal my joy today!” Colonial Funeral Home in Madison is serving the family.