Bruce Allan Rogers, 87, passed away January 11, 2026, in the nursing care facility at Cypress Cove Retirement Community, Fort Myers, Florida.
He was born July 19, 1937, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, to Chilton Lake Rogers and Grace Warren Rogers.
Bruce is survived by his wife of 57 years, Joan; his children, Christina (Jonah) Rees of Wheaton, Illinois; Danny (Maggie) Rogers of Winchester, Kentucky; and his grandchildren: Zach and Owen Rees and Jackson, Maysie, and Allen Rogers.
Also surviving are his sister, Carol Sue Rogers, of Davie, Florida, and his brother, Robert Rogers, of Miami, Florida. He was predeceased by his father and mother.
Bruce’s family moved from Pennsylvania to Miami, Florida. After graduating from Miami Edison High School, he earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida. He was drafted and served in Germany for 18 months. When he returned, he worked in the Dade County Parks Department. He then received his master’s degree in recreation administration from Florida State University.
While pursuing his doctorate, he attended the University of Illinois, where he met Joan. He worked at the Illinois State Department of Conservation for 7 years before serving as Director of the City of Sanibel’s Planning Department from 1978 to 2005.
His responsibility was to review new development and existing structure improvement plans before the city issued building permits.
His decisions were based on the Sanibel Plan, which established guidelines for island development with the aim of having residents live in harmony with nature. In those 26 years, he served under six City Managers.
One highlight was his service on the committee that oversaw construction of the new bridges on the Sanibel Causeway, which opened in September 2007. Bruce is responsible for bringing the rail design that allows a view of the water.
Bruce was secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation from 2006-2009. He was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Committee of the Islands.
Bruce enjoyed riding his bike around the island paths, observing the natural habitat. He was a baseball coach for his kids who grew up on the island, and he was proud to follow his son Danny’s football career at Purdue and his daughter Christina’s swimming competitions. And he doted on his grandkid’s achievements and interests.
After his retirement, he refinished the exterior of their home in Gumbo Limbo, including rebuilding the front and back stairs. He, of course, got all the proper building permits.
He and Joan moved to Cypress Cove in 2019. He always enjoyed learning about the young people who worked there, and he encouraged them to pursue their dreams and continue their education.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Bruce’s memory to the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (sccf.org).
Sad news. Bruce was a dear friend and valued advisor. He was definitely “one if a kind.”