Coronavirus claims life of WWII veteran, family man, photographer

Russell Rogers loves to look at pictures of his father.

"That picture is very much him," he said of a photo of a Arthur Rogers serving during World War II.

The picture was casual, showing a smiling man leaning on a Jeep.

"He had a very, very interesting life," Russell Rogers said.

Arthur Rogers died in April from coronavirus at the age of 92, after a life that included serving in a war and raising a large family.

He did not serve overseas during the war but was heavily involved in domestic projects that would help change the face of history.

"He was supporting naval operations training, naval training here in the states," Rogers said.

He was also part of the Manhattan Project which was responsible for helping to create the world’s first nuclear weapons.

He was a photographer and witnessed several mushroom clouds first hand.

"You know these were in the days during the early development of the bomb," Rogers said.

Later in life Rogers and his wife, who had four children, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, moved to North Carolina to be closer to family.

"He loved people. Oh my goodness he just would make best friends with just about anybody," his son said.

Arthur Rogers’ rich legacy will live on through his historic pictures and the memories of his family.