John T. Rogerson, III

John Thomas Rogerson III, 69, passed away in Jacksonville, Florida on August 19, 2024, following a hard-fought battle with brain cancer.

John was born on March 21, 1955, in Philadelphia, PA, to John Thomas Rogerson, Jr. and Priscilla Iris Rogerson. John spent his childhood in Iran and Mexico, where his father served in the U.S. Foreign Service. He graduated from Phillips Academy – Andover in 1973. Following graduation, John enlisted in the Navy and worked on a 12-man flight crew conducting submarine patrol missions. After 4 years of service in the Navy, John attended the University of Florida, where he ran Gator Track and Field and set records in the 10,000m and 5,000m races in 1983 and 1984, respectively. (To this day, John’s records in the ’83 and ‘84 10,000m and 5,000m events are ranked in UF’s Track and Field Men’s Outdoor All-Time Top Ten). After earning his B.A. in 1985, John attended the University of Florida Levin College of Law and graduated with his Juris Doctorate degree, with honors, in 1989. While attending law school, John received the American Jurisprudence award in Conflict of Laws.

Following law school, John began his legal career in Jacksonville, Florida at Kirschner Main Petrie Graham and Tanner, and was associated with Holland & Knight before joining Volpe, Bajalia, Wickes, Rogerson & Wachs in 1998. John joined Adams & Reese, LLP as a partner in 2013, where he served as Litigation Practice Group Leader for many years. John’s legal practice focused on representing banks and other financial institutions in commercial collection, bankruptcy and foreclosure matters and in defending financial institutions in commercial and other disputes. John was well known for his ethical lawyering and was regularly recognized in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of banking and finance law, bankruptcy, insurance law, and insurance litigation. 

John was an avid runner, competing in countless Gate River Runs over the years. He loved Gator athletics, golf, and vacationing with family on Keuka Lake in his childhood home of Upstate New York. No matter the outdoor air or water temperature (sometimes one or both very cold!), John could be found in the lake at 7am every day for a morning swim, and then on the dock with his coffee. He also loved a good cigar and a glass of red wine.

John is survived by his wife of 32 years, Leah Annette Rogerson; stepchildren, Ashley Prom, Aaron (Jennifer) Prom, and Adam (Sarah) Prom; four grandchildren, Joel, Rhys, Chloe and Barrett John; sisters, P.K. Rogerson, Barbara (Butch) Peiker, and Susan (Christopher) Pondish; niece, Alice Kendall; and cousin, Lisa (Marc Mason) Bartlett.

Family and friends were very important to John. When asked recently for his favorite month, he unhesitatingly answered October, because that is when he married Leah. When numerous family gatherings over the years inevitably ended with silly dance parties, John always had a grin, tapping his feet. He was true and caring to his friends, including from high school and college, staying in touch to the end. He was so proud of Ashley, Aaron and Adam, and grandson Joel, fiercely supporting all of their accomplishments, and cheering loudly at Joel’s wrestling matches.

A celebration of life will be held for family and friends at the Florida Yacht Club on Friday, September 6th from 2-4pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made in John’s honor to the Glioblastoma Research Organization (https://www.gbmresearch.org) or the Gator Boosters Championship Experience Fund (https://www.gatorboosters.org/).