Wilva Marie Cearley Rogers was born on January 24, 1930 in Yocona, Miss., and after a brief illness returned to the arms of her Lord on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019.  An avid human and animal right activist, she lived her beliefs and worked to instill them in each person she had the opportunity to influence. She accomplished this with a warmth and humor that lasted until her final days. Her wish is that each of you carry just a bit of it inside you.

She grew up on Yocona and Oxford and graduated from Ole Miss’s University High School.  She received her BS in Physical Education and an MS in Education at Ole Miss as well. She later received her EDS degree from the University of Georgia.

After a stint in northern Florida, she came to Atlanta’s DeKalb county to teach at Shamrock High School and finished her career there as the first female high school principal in DeKalb.  

She enjoyed over 30 years of retirement traveling with her family, reading, maintaining her beautiful backyard garden and maintaining contact with over 900 of her ‘kids’ on Facebook and so many in person.  The family wishes to thank them all; as well as the countless faculty, staff, friends and family that were always so loyal.

She was predeceased by her Mom and Dad, Pauline Knight Cearley and Corbett Cearley of Oxford, and her sister, Ernelinda Cearley Crenshaw, of Kansas City and Oxford.  She is survived by the love of her life, husband Bill Rogers, originally from Ripley, Miss.; daughter, Teri; countless nieces, nephews and cousins and her beloved Shamrock High School family.

 

A Celebration of her Life is being planned. Details will be found on:

http://www.forevermissed.com/wilva.

 

Contributions in her honor can be made in her name to:  

https://pethoodga.networkforgood.com/projects/60688-planned-pethood-of-ga