Joe Rogers Timeline

1933

Joseph Charles Rogers born in Boston, fourth son of Hy and Helen Rogers. The Great Depression rages across America. A succesful family business of a chain of woman's dress shops is whittled down to two.

1938

An unnamed hurricane wipes out Providence, RI where the last of Hy Rogers dress shops is wiped out, inventory washed down the street.

1939

Joe attends public school for a short time and then placed in private programs.

1945

Moves from school to school, but his parents are increasingly concerned with Joe's social interactions.

1948

Institutionalized at the Fernald State School for the Feeble-minded after a diagnosis of mental retardation with a mental age of 9. His parents are told not to visit to allow Joe to adjust.

1950

Transferred to the Templeton Farm Colony, a branch of Fernald in Western Massachusetts.

1955

Herman Rogers dies at age 57. Joe is not told about his death until after the funeral.

1974

Begins to attend "workshops" to provide vocational training and job skills.

1977

Joe's mother falls down cellar stairs and suffers a catastrophic stroke that leaves her unable to speak or walk or take care of herself.

1978

Joe moves to a group home in Quincy Center with the assistance of the South Shore Rehabilitation Center, later called Work, Inc.

1980

A series of living arrangements and jobs leading to Joe in his own apartment.

1984

Opens bank account with a $200 deposit. Buys clothes and shoes and drinks for friends. Writes many checks to cover the clothes and shoes and drinks – while each check was for less than $200 they all totaled many thousands of dollars when added up, all from the original $200 deposit. Brought to court for passing bad checks. Vows to judge to repay.

1991

A film profile of him, My Uncle Joe, is shown on public TV and he becomes a local celebrity.

1993

Performs at the House of Blues in Cambridge and brings the proverbial house down. People buy Joe drinks.

1996

Joe moves from Quincy to Weymouth a short walk from good food, shopping and music. He works at the National Fire Protection Agency delivering mail.

2005

Joe struck down in an early evening on February, 27, 2005. He was walking from Jimmy's Broad Street Diner where he had eaten dinner and was heading back to his apartment across the street.

A bus of friends from Quincy and a large gathering of family and friends attends his funeral at Temple Beth David.

2007

Joe's three brothers and their families establish the Joseph Charles Rogers Award for Independence in conjunction with Work, Inc. to honor Joe's life-long pursuit of life on his own terms.

Frank Nash and Patricia Bey become the first recipients.