I love sailing. Because it's fun.
Obituary
Guy Warren Rodgers, 93 years of age, passed away peacefully with his wife and family at his side on March 11, 2026, at his home in Middleton, Wisconsin. Guy was born on January 4, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois, to Robert Alden Rodgers and Elizabeth Martindale Rodgers.
Guy grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, in the 1940s with his father, mother, and brothers Bruce and Roy. The boys attended New Trier High School, where all participated in multiple competitive sports. Sailing was a passion he shared with his dad and siblings and became a lifelong pursuit. All four raced Snipe and Star class sailboats on Lake Michigan and Penguins on the Skokie Lagoons. He shared a story with family about when, as a young boy, a teacher asked him what he loved to do most. "I love sailing" was the answer. When asked why, Guy replied, "Because it's fun." Guy continued his competitive sailing in the early 1950s while attending Michigan State University, where he completed his undergraduate and masters degree in Forestry. He met his wife, Dorothy Vaughan, at Michigan State at the dock where racing skippers and crews were gathering. Dottie was keen to crew for Guy and was sitting in his boat ready to be his crew, but Guy already had someone for that day. Dottie caught Guy’s eye and soon became his crew for dozens of races during their collegiate years and beyond. Dating throughout college had other dimensions. Dottie grew up with horses, and Guy grew to love riding during frequent trips to Dottie’s hometown of La Porte, Indiana. Guy was a natural — playing polo during college studies in New Mexico. He and Dottie began skiing as well. Marriage followed, then service in the Army, during which their first son, Peter, was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Guy continued sailing with Dottie, racing on Chesapeake Bay. Guy’s Forestry career began upon moving to Wisconsin, where son Bruce was born, and daughter Gail a few years later.
Elizabeth Rodgers' mother, Claire Martindale, had a home on Silver Lake, Wisconsin, where the family visited during the summers during the 1940s. The family sailed C-Scows and Snipes, waterskied, and fished. Claire was friends with some notable personalities of the time, including Mrs. Walgreen, the matriarch of one of the Walgreens stores we know today. Imagine Guy's mischievous episode, along with his brothers Roy and Bruce, waterskiing and spraying the elegantly dressed ladies on the pier (Claire, among them). This was a spontaneous prank the boys cooked up and spent time on the other side of the lake contemplating what they had just done. The ladies took it in stride. Friends from Chicago frequented the Silver Lake home during summers, and the Rodgers family had friends at nearby Green Lake.
The next sailing and boating chapter moves to Green Lake, Wisconsin. A family friend, Lawrence Vandervelde (Vandy), purchased a property on Green Lake, and Guy's father, Robert, bought a parcel next to Vandy's — designing and building a home on the lake. Guy and Dottie lived in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and drove to Green Lake every weekend with the family to play and race sailboats from the '40s and '50s, through the early '70s. At any one time, there were 12+ boats at Green Lake in play (sailboats, powerboats, and canoes). In the late 60s, his family moved to Madison, where he took a new position with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Sailboat racing continued in a C-Scow for 40 more years into his '80s on Lake Monona.
1974 marks the beginning of life in their own lake home in Madison. They looked at multiple lots on both Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. The Mendota lots and homes were more expensive than they were looking for. Several homes and lots were considered on Lake Monona, including Pirate Island, the western end of Waunona Way, and other parts of the lake. They first saw the Waunona Way lot, vacant during a cold winter, and were not inspired. They kept looking to no avail. When they revisited the same property about six months later, in the summer, for a second look, they found a house on the property that was nearly finished, and they fell in love with it. The builders had built two spec homes side by side and were ready to put them on the market. After checking the water depth (for a pier and boats, of course), they submitted an offer for the house that was accepted in a matter of days. Dottie and Guy were able to choose the carpet, curtains, inside paint, wallpaper, and colors to make it their own. Guy's father, Robert, built a fourth bedroom on the lower level so each of the three children could have their own bedroom. The yard was dirt and graded. Guy oversaw landscaping and tree planting. Dottie had a passion for gardening, and nurtured planting and sustaining a beautiful backyard full of flowers. Not surprisingly, easy boat access at both the front and back of the property was one of the key features they were looking for. The garage and the lower level were ideal solutions.
When the family moved into the Waunona Way lake home, they were still traveling to Green Lake to race Stars, Snipes, and Lasers. Guy transitioned to competing in the C-Scow fleet and continued racing into his 80s — until 2015 — nearly 40 years! Guy and Dottie progressively became more interested in canoeing. Starting with a white Sawyer Dave Yost-designed tandem racing canoe, migrating to lighter Jenson wood and Kevlar tandems, and eventually to solo canoes. Guy became enamored with a Pat Moore-designed solo canoe on one excursion with other canoeists and asked Pat to make a custom boat. He loved it, and so did Dottie. Pat built one for Dottie, too. The number of boats at or around the house: 19-20 on average at any time (1 powerboat, 3 sailboats, 3 tandem canoes, 3 kayaks, 5 solo canoes, and 4 windsurfers), plus nearly a dozen bikes. Guy and Dottie lived happily together in their home on Lake Monona for 50+ years.
Sailing was not the only part of Guy’s life and passions. Colorado was a favorite destination. Family and friends gathered at Beaver's Lodge in Winter Park for several years to ski in the winter and experience the mountains on horseback in the summer. Guy's interests and activities were many. Cars (especially sports/high-performance). Waterskiing. Camping. Hiking. Duck hunting. Motorcycling. Windsurfing into his 80s. Canoeing — an elite solo paddler. Cycling well into his 80s — exercising every night on a trainer into his 90s. Other sports included basketball, tennis, badminton, handball, paddleball, ping pong, volleyball, and bowling — rarely golf or fishing. He was highly competitive in any endeavor he participated in. Poker was his game of choice. Classical music was heard frequently at home. Dottie played flute in the Eau Claire community/university orchestra and the VFW Band in Madison, with Guy's support, through more than 1,000 performances. They both enjoyed attending Madison Symphony concerts and American Players Theater performances, as well as trips to Door County for Northern Sky Theater productions. Guy retired in 1990 and started a chapter of life that included windsurfing, cycling, Elderhostels, Back Roads, and Road Scholar journeys, and travel to 40+ places throughout the US, Europe, South Africa, Mexico, the Caribbean, New Zealand, and beyond. Florida was a favorite nearly every year, where Guy and Dottie would often start with a Rhodes Scholar journey — bringing their bikes and canoes along for a week or two excursion on their own afterwards.
Family and friends were central to his life. He kept up friendships with his DNR buddies with frequent bike trips together and gatherings afterwards. Windsurfing adventures with several friends were a beloved tradition for many years. Hatteras Island in North Carolina was a favorite spot he and his windsurfing pals visited often. Guy and Dottie supported their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family in every way possible. Thanksgiving and Christmas were traditional gatherings creating bonds and memories that will last for generations. In Green Lake and later at his brother's home on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the immediate and extended family gathered nearly every year. His warmth, generosity, and caring spirit live on within everyone who knew him. His battles with cancer and his back injury became progressively more challenging in recent months and weeks. Attic Angel Place and Agrace Hospice provided extraordinary care and guidance — making his final days calm before passing. Guy and Dottie lived happily together for more than 70 years.
Guy was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Elizabeth; his two brothers, Bruce E. Rodgers and Roy Rodgers; cousin Charles Hall; and Ann Rodgers (daughter of Bruce and Susie Rodgers). He is survived by his beloved wife of 71 years, Dorothy Vaughan Rodgers, sister in-law Susie Rodgers (Susie Moore), by sons, Peter Rodgers and Bruce A. Rodgers, daughter Gail Braier, grandchildren Chelsea Rodgers-Hancock, Alden Rodgers, Mariah (Ren) Braier, and Nolan Braier, and great-grandchild, Guy Hancock, and the wife of Charles Hall, Anneliese, their daughter Christina (Tina) Hall, her daughter Carmen, son Mike Hall, and his children Eric and Rachel. Extended family members include Toni Rodgers, Susan Lee, Bob Braier, Leslie Rodgers, and Saul Costello.
A celebration of life will take place on Saturday, May 23rd, at Monona Methodist Church, 606 Nichols Road, Monona, at 10:00 a.m. Friends and family are welcome to attend. Those who would like to honor his memory may consider contributing to PBS Wisconsin (pbswisconsin.org) or Wisconsin Public Radio (wpr.org).
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606 Nichols Road, Monona, WI 53716
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