Veterinarian, Angel Flight pilot dies on birthday in Montana crash

It has not been a very good month for aviation in Montana.  In late March, author and mountain flying instructor Sparky Imeson died near Bozeman in a crash.  Some stories have circulated that he was overflying the area in which he crashed a couple of years ago. 

Not long after was the crash in the cemetery alongside the Butte airport, claiming parents and their children.  The cause of this crash is still unknown and remains a mystery. 

Another crash you might not have heard of was near Kalispell involving veterinarian Hugh Rogers.  I don’t write about crashes just because; there usually is some kind of connection between myself or my experience and the person or place where an incident occurred.  Also, there is the issue of the media often oversimplifying a situation requiring a better explanation or clarification.  There were a couple of things that got my attention with this crash.

Dr. Rogers was not just a veterinarian, but he also helped greatly with strays and animal shelters.  My wife also found out about his story through people who are involved in various dog rescue organizations.  We’ve donated money and supplies to basset hound rescues around the country for years, and are about to adopt one of these fine animals.  We’ve heard of vets like Dr. Rogers who help these abandoned or lost dogs get a clean bill of health so the volunteers can get them to a family who wants to adopt them.  These are the angels of our society.

Also, Dr. Rogers was a pilot for Angel Flight.  When I bought an airplane, this was one of the first groups I joined.  If you’re not familiar with this organization, they organize pilots to fly patients who need free transportation for various medial reasons, all paid for by the pilot.  Sometimes it involves transporting blood, sometimes it’s to take family members to see their relatives in the hospital.  It’s often to smaller communities that don’t have airline service, or the patients or families just can’t afford it.  Some of the flights are multiple legs flown by more than one pilot and aircraft.  Angel Flight coordinates all of this and more to make it as simple and easy for patients and their families that are already going through hard times.

As the title of this article says, Dr. Rogers was out flying on his birthday when he crashed.  Apparently, there was a surprise party for his 50th birthday awaiting him after he was supposed to return from this flight.  The following memorial is from Alpine Animal Hospital in Whitefish, MT.  Blue skies, Dr. Rogers, the world needs more people like yourself.

Dr. Hugh Rogers reached the end of his earth’s journey on his birthday, April 1, 2009, due to injuries sustained in an airplane accident on the Hungry Horse Reservoir. Dr. Rogers was born in Concordia, Kansas on April 1, 1959 to Dr. Bob and Marjory Rogers. He earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University in 1985 and practiced veterinary medicine in Jackson, Wyoming and Driggs, Idaho before moving to the Flathead Valley and purchasing Alpine Animal Hospital in Whitefish in 1997.

Dr. Rogers was a highly respected and extraordinarily compassionate doctor to all creatures great and small. In fact, it was James Herriot’s book, “All Creatures Great and Small” that inspired Hugh to become a veterinarian. He had an unwavering commitment to help animals and their owners in need, regularly working on call 24/7 for extended periods of time and often without days off. He frequently used his personal time and resources to help strays and shelter animals.

Dr. Rogers was an avid outdoorsman and spent as much time as possible enjoying the wilderness of Montana. He transitioned out of this life doing one of the activities that brought him the most joy, flying his Maule M-4 plane. Rogers also combined his love of flying with his life’s mission to serve those in need by devoting his plane and his piloting skills to Angel Flight, a program providing free flights to children and adults who lack medical access.

Albert Schweitzer once said, “…therefore search and see if there is not some place where you may invest your humanity.” As his family, friends and clients can attest, Dr. Rogers never had to search. He creatively, graciously, and steadfastly invested his humanity in profound and lasting ways. He actively supported The Red Cross, Montana Food Bank, Kalispell Jaycees, Light House Christian Home, Stumptown Art Studio, Whitefish Community Foundation, Backcountry Horseman, Human Therapy on Horseback, and The Muttshack Veterinarian Relief Organization.

He is survived by his wife, Roxane Rogers of Whitefish, his parents Dr. Bob and Marjory Rogers of Kansas, his siblings Emily Fehr and Clark Rogers. He is also survived by a wide circle of friends and the staff of Alpine Animal Hospital - and of course, by his beloved pets: Dusty, Chester, Prince, Slick, and Bambino.

Services are scheduled for Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 1:00 pm at Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish. In light of Dr. Rogers’ dedication to service, his family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to any of the following organizations for which he cared deeply:

Kansas State University Pet Tribute - 103 Trotter Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506
The Humane Society of Northwest Montana - P.O. Box 221, Kalispell, MT 59903
Angel Flight - 3161 Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Flathead County Search & Rescue - www.flatheadsar.com
Wildlife Return - 200 Stageline Drive, Whitefish, MT 59937
Montana Food Bank Network Inc. - 5625 Expressway, Missoula, MT 59808