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.
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.
Frank Nash and Patricia Bey become the first recipients.