Funeral services for Joseph Payton Rodgers will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 in the Chapel of Fair Park Baptist Church in West Monroe, Louisiana with Waymond Warren officiating. Visitation will be held at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in West Monroe on Tuesday, August 1 from 57 pm. Joe was born August 26, 1930 and passed away on July 31, 2017 following a brief illness.Joe joined Fair Park Baptist Church in 1955 where he has faithfully served for over 60 years on numerous committees and he chaired the committee for the establishment of the Fair Park Weekday Ministry. He has also served as an usher and greeter, a member of the Encouragers and Seekers Sunday School Classes and he was a faithful friend to his pastor.Joe retired following 38 years of service with South Central Bell as Manager of Central Office Operations. One of the highlights of his career was serving as Communications Director for President Ronald Reagan during his visit to Ouachita Parish during the flood of 1983. He was an active member of the Telephone Pioneers and was a volunteer with the Senior Patrol of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff Department.Joe is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 65 years, Dorothy. He is also survived by his children, Tim & Martha Rodgers, Cindy & Steve Teel, and Danny & Cindy Acree. His grandchildren Lindsay, Peyton (Jenny), Renee (Stuart), Crystal (Frank), Mindy (Tim), Autumn, Malerie (Kyle), Allison and Austin. Great Grandchildren Jacob, Zachary, Darnell, Kylie, Brewer, Stella and Arden.Serving as pallbearers will be Will Dale, Dave Howard, Don May, Darris Waren, Larry Whitmire and Danny Williams. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Encouragers Sunday School Class.Memorials may be given to Two Penny Missions or Fair Park Baptist Church Be the Light Ministries. Joe was a light to everyone he met so the family encourages you to Be the Light, be the brightest light in the room kind of light, be a Joe Rodgers kind of Light that brings glory to Jesus!Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.comKilpatrick Funeral HomeWest Monroe, LA