Ivy Rodgers

The unsinkable, unstoppable Ivy Rodgers of Wayne passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, December 4th at the age of 100.

Ivy was born to Robert and Agnes Graham in Paterson, NJ, the third of six children. Her full name was Ivy Vietta Young Graham, named after the midwife that delivered her. She was put into the Fresh Air class in grade school because she was thought to be sickly, but she’d be quick to tell you it was just because she was thin. She graduated from Central High School in Paterson and went on to business school to become a bookkeeper.

Ivy's first job was as a waitress in Paterson, but she quit after one day when a customer was rude to her. She went on to become an elevator operator at Meyer Brothers Department Store in Paterson. During the war she was a bookkeeper at Wrights Aeronautical. At some point, she decided she wanted a raise and when it was denied, she quit. Her boss asked her to come in a week later and gave her the raise.

It was at the Third Presbyterian Church in Paterson that she met her future employer and future husband, Nathaniel (Nat) Rodgers. Nat had just started a trucking company and asked Ivy to teach his sister how to keep the books. His sister never quite caught on and Ivy became the permanent bookkeeper for Rodgers Brothers Express. Although Nat was engaged to someone else when they met, they fell in love and on December 17, 1946 they were married in her mother's living room. They built the business together with Nat's brothers. Ivy was always proud that all of her ledgers came out to the penny.

Ivy and Nat welcomed daughter Deborah and moved to Wayne shortly thereafter in 1954. Ivy took great pride in decorating her new home. She would paint walls, mow the lawn, iron the curtains and loved having family parties as long as she could cater and not cook the food. When her daughter Deborah started school, Ivy became very active in the PTA. She started the first library at Lafayette School, was a girl scout leader, and hosted a talent show to raise money for the school.

Ivy was thrilled to become a grandmother and was a daily presence in her grandchildren's lives. She could be seen at school pick up, every school play, baseball game or any other activity.

Shortly after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, Nat passed away in 1997. Ivy focused her full attention on her grandchildren and loved every minute. She could also be seen walking all over Wayne. Her favorite spots were the A&P, Walgreens and Shop Rite. She also loved dancing and singing along to Perry Como.

In the winter of 2012 she fell and broke her knee. The doctor told her that because of her age it would be a long recovery. She reminded the doctor that her grandson was getting married in April and she would be dancing at his wedding. And she did! A few years later, she proudly walked her granddaughter down the aisle at her wedding.

The highlight of her later years were her great grandchildren Ivy, Nathan and Chloe. She looked forward to every moment spent with them, and was never shy about getting on the floor to play with dolls, cars, or legos.

Ivy is survived by her daughter, Deborah ( Scott), her grandson Fredrick Karamanol ( Emilia), her granddaughter Courtney Cronk (Jason), great grandchildren (Ivy Karamanol, Nathan Cronk, Chloe Cronk), her sister Beatrice Adderley, and nieces and nephews.