Barbara Marcella (Marcy) Rogers Lanham

Barbara Marcella (Marcy) Rogers Lanham, of Amarillo, Texas died peacefully May 23, 2021.

Reception and visitation will be from 4-5:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at Schooler Funeral Home.

Marcy was the granddaughter of Panhandle pioneers, Ida Belle and William J. Attebury and Lula May and Robert G. Rogers, all emigrants from Kentucky. She was the daughter of Jesse A. and Doris Rogers, founders of Plains Chevrolet.

Marcy was a graduate of Amarillo High School, class of 1945. She attended Gulf Park Junior College and Hardin Simmons University earning degrees in Theater and Speech, and also received a Masters of Education degree from West Texas State University.

Marcy was an educator for Amarillo Independent School District for over 30 years at North Heights Alternative School. At the start of her teaching career, North Heights was a school for pregnant girls, which was a perfect fit for Marcy because of her extraordinary ability to teach all subjects required, from math to English to history to social studies, and even crochet—handy for making baby blankets. She was also a mentor and a moral support to her beloved students. In later years, North Heights transitioned to an at-risk magnet school. Again, Marcy proved to be a superb teacher, mentor, counselor and friend to the many students she taught through the years.

Marcy was a gifted pianist. Unlike her sister, Grace, who excelled in classical piano, Marcy’s genre was popular music, particularly the standards of the 40s. Her father, Jess, played baritone horn and was a member of John Phillip Sousa’s band in the Navy during WWI, and helped with the start-up of Amarillo’s first music ensembles. Her mother played piano and her brother, drums. Needless to say, she grew up in a musical household where family concerts were the norm in the “music room” of their house. Consequently, her own home was a virtual house of music on Rosemont Street where she raised her children with music of all kinds being played every day. She encouraged her children to appreciate all types of performing arts and sports. Marcy was a devoted member of First Baptist Church and was a member of the choir. She was a founding member of the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation and was instrumental in bringing the musical TEXAS to the stage in 1961. She served in many volunteer roles with the Junior League of Amarillo, the PTA, and the Garden Club, along with several other community organizations. She was a prolific and talented poet.

But Marcy’s greatest achievement and greatest pride was family. The love, devotion, and nurturing attention she imparted to her four children was, indeed, her life.

Preceding Marcy in death were her parents, Jesse and Doris Attebury Rogers, a brother, Bob Rogers, a sister Grace Rogers McBride, husband Kenneth Lanham, and great-grandson, Adam Jones, son of granddaughter Eliza and Joshua Jones of Auburn Hills, MI.

She is survived by her children, Amy Faden and husband Alan of Baltimore MD and Walla Walla WA; Mark Lanham and wife Stephanie of Amarillo; Rink Lanham and wife Connie of Southlake TX, and Lisa Brgoch and husband Doug of La Veta, CO. Marcy also leaves 16 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren (and one on the way). She leaves behind a dearly loved niece, Amanda McBride, and nephew, Elliott McBride, both of NC, and numerous cousins and friends.

One of Marcy’s favorite verses... “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. From her book of poems, On Burial, she writes “I fear not melting, moldering in darkness there; Therein's the promise of rebirth that bursts through sod to sun and air!”.

A to-be-announced memorial celebration of life will be held in summer, 2021. Memorial gifts to First Baptist Church Department of Music or a favorite charity would be appreciated in lieu of flowers.