Ellona Johnson Rodgers

Ellona Johnson Rodgers, age 73, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Visitation will be on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 from 6-8:00 p.m. at OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd., Waco, Texas. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. also at OakCrest Funeral Home with graveside services immediately following at Oakwood Cemetery. The Rev. Wayne Williams will officiate. Those unable to attend in person may view the services online on the OakCrest Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/OakCrestWaco/

Ellona was born on July 28, 1952, at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas to William T. H. Johnson and Margaret Johnson. As the daughter of a U.S. Air Force serviceman, she spent part of her early childhood living in Japan beginning in 1954, before returning to the United States in late 1956.

Ellona attended Midway High School during her senior year, where she met her soulmate, Melvin Rodgers. She graduated from Midway High School in 1970 and later pursued a business degree at Tarrant County College.

On June 6, 1971, Ellona married Melvin Rodgers. They shared many years of marriage and family life until his passing in 2009. Ellona was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend.

She dedicated 16 years of service to the Waco Housing Authority, retiring in 2017. Her life was grounded in faith, family, and a steady, generous love for everyone around her.

Ellona was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Rodgers; her father, William T. H. Johnson; and her mother, Margaret Johnson.

She is survived by her son, Michael Rodgers and his wife, Samantha; her daughter, Tammy Rodgers and her husband, Wes; and her grandchildren, Bridgit, Kailyn, and Strait. She was a proud great-grandmother to Paislee and Preston. She is also survived by her sisters, Yvonne Kerrigan and her children, Sean and Margaret; and Michelle Burton and her husband, Lou, and their daughter, Heather. Ellona is also survived by her life companion of many years, Irvin Bush.

Ellona found joy in attending church, spending time with family and friends, playing pool, baking, traveling, and anything involving frogs. She leaves behind those who mourn her absence deeply—not only in sorrow, but in gratitude for a life that gave freely of itself, and for a love whose depth is now felt in its absence, enduring beyond her passing.