Jerry “Roger” Fussell, 70, of Silsbee died Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston surrounded by his wife, children, family, and friends. Roger was born December 2, 1953, in Kirbyville to Laurine Fussell and Lucian Fussell.
Roger was a proud graduate of the Kirbyville High School class of 1972. He was always an entertainer. He participated in most of the school plays, was the song leader at Kirbyville Church of Christ, and proudly represented the KHS Band as a Texas All-State Band member (Baritone) Roger resided in Silsbee for the past thirty-seven years. Community and providing a positive environment for children was a priority for him. Roger served on the boards for Silsbee Little Theater, Silsbee Little League, and was a charter member of the Hardin County Youth Project Show where he served as President for many years. He was very active in the water utilities industry and served in numerous offices for the Trinity- Neches-Sabine (TNS) Texas Water Utilities Association (TWUA) and President of the Texas Water Utilities Association where he spread the message of professionalism across the state. He was the current President of the Hardin County Farm Bureau, the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District, and a member of the Region I East Texas Regional Water Planning Group. Roger retired from Lumberton Municipal Utility District after serving for twenty years as the District Manager.
Roger was a friend to anyone and everyone, and never met a stranger. He always had a story to tell, and Cindy typically found herself in amazement as Roger made yet another random lifelong friend who knew someone who knew someone else. Roger will be remembered as always being happy with a smile on his face to everyone he met. Roger was truly one of the best of the best.
Roger is survived by his wife of thirty-two years, Cindy; daughter, Desiré Fussell of Nederland; sons, Caleb Cowart and his wife, Whitney, of Prosper, and Jerrod Fussell and his wife, Taylor, of Port Neches; grandchildren, Berklee Cowart and Baker Cowart of Prosper; Lemon Fussell and Livvy Fussell of Port Neches; brothers, Ricky Fussell and his wife, Lisa, and Randy Fussell and his wife, Sherri; and sister, Robin Smathers and her husband, Royce, all of Kirbyville. He is preceded in death by his parents.
A gathering of Roger’s family and friends was held from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday, January 5, 2024, at Broussard’s Mortuary, 490 Cemetery Road, Silsbee. His funeral service was at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 6, 2024 at Call Junction Baptist Church, 23701 US-96, Kirbyville, with his interment following at Magnolia Springs Cemetery, Kirbyville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: TNS-TWUA, Memo: Fussell Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 8065, Lumberton, Texas 77657, Attn: BJ Lee-Lewis, or email address, tnstwua@gmail. com.