Rep. Katherine Rogers, a Concord native, was a fighter to the end.
She fought for her constituents, focusing on the abuse of women and children. She fought for animals and the abuse they often endured. She fought for her party, never shy to expose her liberal roots to the other side of the aisle.
And, over the last few months of her life, with rides needed for medical appointments, with chemo and radiation treatments wearing her out, with a prognosis that her cancer was terminal, Rogers continued to work at the State House until shortly before her death, carrying on despite the emotional and physical pain that had become the norm in her life.
“I was in shock to see her (at the State House),” said Rep. Safiya Wazir of Concord. “She was going through so many medical conditions and still appearing in the body to vote and making sure that her voice was heard and to represent her district.”
Wazir’s rise to the House said a lot about Rogers. Wazir was born in Afghanistan. Her family feared the Taliban and fled to a refugee camp. They settled in Concord, on the Heights, when Wazir was in high school.
In Wazir, Rogers saw a chance to promote diversity, acceptance and change. She backed Wazir, who beat the late Dick Patten for the District 17 seat representing Concord Ward 8. Patten was serving his fourth term. Wazir, though, became the first former refugee elected to the House.
“I lost a friend, I lost a hero, I lost a person I was looking up to,” Wazir said. “She always told me that if you ever have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to her. She said there’s no silly questions.”
Rogers served eight terms in the New Hampshire House, most recently for District 28, which covers Concord Wards 8, 9 and 10. She was also on the Concord City Council, and served as Merrimack County Commissioner, Merrimack County Attorney and chair of the Concord City Democrats.
She spoke with enthusiasm about the issues that were important to her and her constituents. A dedicated gun-control advocate, she showed a fiery side six years ago while working as a Democratic observer during a vote recount.
Rogers was charged with assault for hitting Republican observer Susan Olsen, a prominent gun-rights activist, on the side of her head. Rogers accepted a plea deal on a misdemeanor assault charge that suspended a $1,000 fine for good behavior, but required her to attend anger management classes.
“She was tough when someone approached her at first, until you got to know her,” Wazir said. “She was a fighter, and that’s how I got to know that she was the right person that I got connected to.”
At-large City Councilor Byron Champlin added, “She spoke with passion about the issues that were important to her and her constituents.”
Rogers was single and lived with her pug, Romeo. A New Hampshire Democratic Party press release said she “died peacefully Sunday afternoon surrounded by friends and her beloved pug.”
Rogers loved pugs. Before Romeo, there was the late Vito, named after Don Corleone of “Godfather” fame. In fact, just two weeks ago, Rogers sent an email to friends, announcing her new project. Something about dogs. Democratic dogs.
“She wanted images from people of their dogs,” said Ward 10 City Councilor Zandra Rice Hawkins. “That was so Kathi, all of this past year spent in and out of cancer treatment. When she had to shave her head, she used it as a fundraiser she cared about.”
That happened last October. Change was in the air, cooler temperatures and foliage, when Rogers chose to make her own change, and a drastic one at that.
She shaved her head, raising money for the Pope Memorial SPCA. She had created a distraction, using humor to ease everyone’s pain.
“It took courage to do that,” said Ward 9 City Councilor Candace Bouchard. “She took something that is difficult and made it into a fundraiser.”
Her latest cause was ensuring that children who were abused at the Sununu Youth Services Center over a 55-year period received justice.
And just three days before she died and 13 months after her diagnosis, Rogers held court in her hospital room with Democratic colleagues, mapping out strategy on different bills, fully cognizant that the end was near.
Ray Buckley, chairman of the state’s Democratic Party, met Rogers when they were both teens and working on Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign in 1976. One of her closest friends, Buckley was in the room that day, last Thursday, witnessing one final fight.
“Knowing she was never going to go back to the House, she still remained engaged and involved,” Buckley said. “She said she felt she was disappointing people by not finishing her work.
“She wanted everyone to know that she was sorry.”