Rogene Mae Fraley

Rogene passed away on October 12, 2022, at home in the care of her daughter and Advent Health Hospice.
Rogene was born on January 1, 1935, to Rosella (Sassaman) Hayes and Ralph Peter Hayes in Rochelle, IL. She graduated from Stillman Valley High School in 1953 and the same year was voted as May Queen of the school by her peers. She married Francis Gene Fraley on January 29, 1955.

She stayed home and raised her two children, Clay and Sheryl, until Sheryl entered the second grade at Kings School, in 1967. She worked in the Accounts Payable Department at Caron International Yarn Company in Rochelle, IL until Caron International moved its operations to North Carolina in the 1990’s.

A member of the Kings Presbyterian Church, Rogene actively participated in many of the church activities such as Ladies Aid, Sunday School teacher and other committees. She was very good at knitting and crocheting and made several items for church fundraising sales and for her children and grandchildren. She was baptized at the Union Park Christian Church in Orlando, FL after moving there in 2014.

She was an avid sports fan following Sheryl to every sporting event she participated in at Rochelle Township High School from 1973 to 1977. She continued to enjoy watching Sheryl play golf in Florida and learned how to keep score for her too.

Rogene was also a member of the Oregon Senior Center in Oregon, IL before moving to Florida. She performed with their Line Dancing group at local nursing homes and other senior living facilities for many years. At one time she knew over 50 different line dances.

She earned her Life Membership in the Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW in Rochelle, IL by volunteering at the Bingo program and the funeral / wedding lunches at the VFW. She also volunteered for the Kings Township Street light committee by going door to door asking for donations to help pay for the streetlights in Kings. Rogene was also a Brownie, Girl Scout leader and Den Mother for the Boy Scouts for the children in the Kings community.
After moving to Orlando to be near her daughter, she became a member of the Renaissance Senior Center where Sheryl works as a Site Supervisor III. There she participated in a walking group, Yoga, Bingo and a Needles and Threads group where she continued to make knitted or crocheted items for premature babies.
She was a very giving person and a very good listener, and always had a kind word to say about everyone. All the neighborhood folks in Wedgefield, where she lived, wanted her to come and pull weeds in their yards, because they saw her outside everyday keeping her yard beautiful and weed free.

Preceded in death by her parents, husband, two brothers, Dale Hayes and Lyle Hayes. Rogene is survived by her children, Clayton (Becky) Fraley (Kings, IL) and Sheryl (Earl) Fleming (Orlando, FL). Her grandchildren, Angie (Dave) Wissing, (Dubuque, IA) Valerie (Terry) Jones, (Ashton, IL) Jamie Fleming (Kirsten), (Wisconsin) Earl (Kayla) Fleming III, (Davis Junction, IL) and Nick (Brie) Sudbury, (Cincinnati, OH), 11 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be October 28th 2022 from 11:00 a.m. till the time of service that will be held at 12:00 noon, funeral services will be held at Beverage Lyons Funeral Home 704 N. 6th Street in Rochelle, IL with Pastor Tom Hensley, Union Park Christian Church, Orlando, FL presiding. A celebration of Life luncheon will be held at the VFW Lodge 3878 in Rochelle, IL following the funeral.

Internment will be at White Rock Cemetery following the service.

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 5:30 P.M. at Wedgefield Golf Club, 20550 Maxim Parkway, Orlando, FL 32829.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the following organizations in memory/honor of Rogene Fraley. Advent Health Foundation of Central Florida (800 N Magnolia Ave., Suite 600 Orlando, FL 32803) or the Ladies Auxiliary to VFW Post 3878 (318 4th Ave. Rochelle, IL 61068) Or if you wish please make checks out to either organization.