Dear Friends and Family,
We wanted to let you know that Rogers Magee (Beloved Music teacher of Homestead, FL; Owner and operator of The Dulcimer Shop in Blowing Rock, NC for many years; Beloved husband, father and friend of many, peacefully passed away on Sunday, October 4th in Charlotte, NC. He was surrounded by his family. He had been ready to "go home" for several months. Below, find a copy of the obituary to go in the Aiken, SC newspaper where he and Jo had lived for many years after leaving Homestead. Attached is a photo from about 2 years ago taken in their apartment in Charlotte. We just thought you might want to know. We apologize if you get this message more than once. We are working off lots of email lists.
Bill and Jewel and the rest of the Magee family
Chester Rogers Magee of Charlotte, NC died at home on October 4, 2009. Rogers was born on June 4, 1921 in Aiken County, SC to Chester Freeman Magee and Josephine Wilcox Magee. He was raised in Aiken by his mother and left as a teenager to study violin in Concord, NC and Charlotte, NC. During his senior year in high school he lived in the home of Dr. Landon Walker where he met his future bride, Josephine Walker.
Magee continued his musical studies at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY. Upon graduation he joined the Marines and was commissioned as 2nd lieutenant. Before being shipped to the Pacific theater he married Josephine Walker on February 6, 1943 in Fredericksburg, VA.
After the war Magee taught at Western Kentucky, completed graduate work at Michigan State University and in 1952 moved his young family of 4 little boys to Homestead, FL where he taught public school music. He taught at various schools in South Dade County, directed the choir at First Presbyterian Church of Homestead, and continued in the Marine Reserves retiring in the late 1960s as a Lt. Colonel. Daughter, Melody, was added to the family in 1956.
In 1970 Rogers built a home in Blowing Rock, NC, and in 1971 he and Josephine opened The Dulcimer Shop in Blowing Rock. Magee became an expert on the traditional mountain musical instrument and for many years ran the shop from June-August and then returned to FL to teach. In 1976 Magee retired from teaching and moved back to Aiken, SC to care for his elderly mother. He and wife, Jo, became active in the First Presbyterian Church and were especially devoted to the Law Sunday school-class. One of Rogers most loved and used treasures was a beautiful prayer shawl knitted for Jo and Rogers by the prayer shawl ministry of that church. It was sent to them in Charlotte shortly after they departed Aiken. He lived in Blowing Rock and ran The Dulcimer Shop summer and fall and lived in Aiken the remainder of the year. Rogers loved being in the mountains, teaching folks about the dulcimer and being part of Rumple Presbyterian Church and choir. He continued to run shop until age 82 and friends still come into the shop daily to inquire after “Mr. Dulcimer”. In 2007 Rogers and Jo moved to Charlotte to be close to family. They joined Avondale Presbyterian Church and became faithful members of that fellowship.
Rogers is survived by his wife of 66 years, Josephine Walker Magee, his four sons and their wives—Rogers and Olivia Magee of Charlotte, NC; William and Jewel Magee of Blowing Rock, NC; David and Kathy Magee of Orlando, FL; and John and Cheryl Judd Magee of Charlotte, NC—and his daughter Melody and her husband Bob Thomason of Sautee, GA. There are eleven grand children and seven great-grand children. A memorial service will be held at Avondale Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC Friday, October 9th at 1:00pm with family visitation to follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Avondale Presbyterian Church, 2821 Park Road, Charlotte, North Carolina 28209, or Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 393, Blowing Rock, North Carolina 28605.
Condolences may be sent to Josephine Magee and family at: 3618 Henshaw Rd. Charlotte, NC 28209
The Dulcimer Shop in Blowing Rock carries a variety of Mountain dulcimers including MacSpadden,T.K. O'Brien,Bill Neely, and others. They also have hammered dulcimers,bowed psaltries,and the "dulcican" that you'll have to see and hear for yourself! You can check out a few things online at