Kenneth Rogers

Professor Kenneth Rogers was born in Needham, Massachusetts on June 1, 1939. He passed away peacefully, after a brief struggle with recently diagnosed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, on Feb. 21, 2023 not far from his home in Richmond, Rhode Island.

A scholar of sociolinguistics with a Ph.D. from Columbia University, Professor Rogers devoted his research to the study of Romance languages including Romanian, Romanche, Ladin, Catalan, but especially Occitan, a minority language spoken in southern France. He taught French, beginning Russian, and linguistics at the University of Rhode Island from 1968 until his retirement in 2012. His fascination with how language works and his devotion to his students inspired many to pursue further studies both in French as well as linguistics. ROTC at Boston University and a few years as captain of a transportation company in the army ingrained in him a strict respect for rules and schedules as well as a fascination with the history of World War II. A Christian Scientist, Professor Rogers always prioritized the life of the mind, encouraging his students to read and explore. He will be remembered by his wife, son, daughter, and two grandsons, for his deep love of animals, his enthusiasm for new Lego sets and all toys, and especially for his extensive collection of French graphic novels. No services are planned.

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