Bill Rodgers was born in 1937 and attended Campbellford High School. He then joined the Canadian army and served for six years in the Signal Corps, learning the trade of a teletype technician. After he left the forces he became an electronics technician.

He joined the Ontario Provincial Police on January 31, 1966 and served at Sarnia before moving just down the road to Petrolia.

After serving the province for four years and at the age of thirty-three, Constable Rodgers’ career as police officer came to a tragic end. On February 25, 1970 a blinding snow storm snarled traffic in much of southwestern Ontario. Constable Rodgers had already attended one accident scene that morning when he was dispatched at 11:29 to investigate another accident on Highway 7 and Highway 22. After locating the reported site, he turned on his roof and other lights and stationed his car west of the accident area so as to warn oncoming motorists of debris in the area and parked cars. He directed traffic but the work was difficult because much of the time visibility was almost nil.

Two citizens stood by Constable Rodgers engaging him in conversation while he struggled to route traffic through the blinding snow. At 12:35 p.m. a westbound car could not avoid the trio and ploughed into the men on the highway, killing them instantly.

For several years the William R. Rodgers Memorial Curling Bonspiel held by the Ontario Provincial Police Association kept Bill’s memory alive in Petrolia.

Bill was survived by his wife and two daughters.