HARPSWELL — Michael F. Rogus, age 92, of Sebascodegan Shores Road, died Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, at his home.
Born in Manhattan, NY on Oct. 16, 1921, the son of Stephen and Ethel Rogus and nicknamed “Sonny” by his immediate family, he graduated from Croton High School in 1943.
He enlisted in the United States Navy on Jan. 5, 1944, and served his country honorably during World War II where he became an aviator and flew both land and carrier based missions. His squadron, flying from Recife, Brazil, was involved in the capture of the German Uboat U505, now on display at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. During his naval career he piloted a variety of aircraft including airships (blimps), TBM Avengers, P2V Neptunes and various naval seaplanes. He frequently flew Maine representatives and senators, including Edmund Muskie and Margaret Chase Smith, to and from Washington, D.C.
He was also a certified radio operator. Between February and April 1962, he was a member of the Navy’s F4H Phantom II Project High Jump team. He attained the rank of lieutenant commander and retired from the Navy in June 1964 while stationed at Brunswick Naval Air Station.
After his retirement from the Navy, Michael attended the University of Maine and received his undergraduate and master’s degrees. He began his second career as high school instructor at Brunswick High School in 1966. Over the next 17 years he taught variety of subjects including world and ancient history and economics. He also launched and ran an innovative “flying club” that prepared high school students to pursue careers in aviation and weather forecasting which many of them did after graduation from high school.
With lifelong interest in aeronautics, he built an ultra-light aircraft and flew single-engine land and amphibious aircraft well into his retirement. He liked playing chess and was an avid reader of scientific, ancient history and archeology books and publications. After retiring from teaching and flying, his attention turned to golf where he enjoyed the company of his many civilian and naval buddies.
He is survived by his loving wife of 68 years Patricia Ann. They were married at the Church of St. John on Kingsbridge Avenue in New York on Feb. 22, 1945.
He is also survived by his sister Elizabeth McRann of Topsham, Maine; his two sons, Michael Peter of Wilmington, NC and Mark Stephen of Corning, NY; his daughter, Jeannie Marie of Spartanburg, SC; and six grandchildren: Natalie, Charlotte and Emma Rogus and Patrick, Michael and Emily Dashiell.
A committal service with full military honors will be held Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 10 a.m. in the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery Chapel, 163 Mt. Vernon Road, Augusta Maine.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, Memorial and Honors Gifts, P.O. Box 1000 Memphis, TN 38148-0142.
Arrangements are by Stetson’s Funeral Home, 12 Federal St., Brunswick, ME, where memorial condolences may be expressed at stetsonsfuneralhome.com.
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