David Lee Rogers, age 88, passed away Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Amarillo, Texas, his home for 75 years. Whether you knew him as Dad, Grandpa, Papa Diddle, Gooch, Babe, Dave-O, Pauncho, or simply Dave, he has officially retired all aliases to pursue a full-time career as “dearly missed.”

Dave was born April 9, 1938, to Otto and Sadie Rogers in Marietta, Oklahoma. He lived a full life, which included lots of travel, crisscrossing the U.S. and Canada on his trusty Honda Gold Wing, with his wife Mary and her “purse” on the back, and their good friends Larry and Diana Jolly by their side. Dave often reminded anyone within earshot that he “never dumped her once” — a feat he considered his crowning achievement. Dave was an amazing musician. For decades, he performed on stage, playing his guitar and singing country music with his band The Countrymen and, later in life, Pauncho & Left-E, a duo with his good friend Larry Lincycomb. It was hard to believe how many songs he knew! There were yearly treks to Fredericksburg and Cuchara, where Dave enjoyed making music with family and friends.

Dave loved to laugh, was kind, and was always upbeat. He had a multitude of vocations over the years, but whatever he was doing, he always proclaimed with complete sincerity, “I LOVE my job.” Dave was a relentless morning person. His joy was so contagious that he usually managed to drag everyone else into the sunshine with him. He possessed an unwavering ‘can-do’ attitude, even in situations that were clearly ‘could-not-do,’ a trait that frequently led to minor medical emergencies and impressive scars. For all of this and more, we loved him dearly and will keep his memory close to our hearts.

Dave was preceded in death by his mother and father; brothers, Weldon, Willie, and Andrew; and a sister, Chris.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Mary Rogers; sister, Betty Bernard; children, Debra Taylor, Donna Miller and husband Jim, Keely Rogers and partner Troy, Edie Hopping Coker and husband Greg, Spunky Harrell, Cameron Rogers and wife Erin, Kyle Bolick and wife Jan, Stacy Alonzo and husband Cruz; grandchildren, Erin, Ashley, Katie, Alex, Dancey, Clint, Tate, Bubby, Flynn, Thumper, Harley, Natalie, Naomi, Ricky David, Sarah; numerous nieces, nephews, great-grandchildren; and his oldest friend of 75 years, Jerry Bryant.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Country Estates Community Center, 7900 81st Ave., Amarillo, Texas, on Saturday, May 23, at 1:00 pm, under the care of Lighthouse Funeral Home.  We hope you can join us.