Obituary of Michael A. Rogoff

Dr. Michael A. Rogoff passed away on Thursday, March 10, 2016 at Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester at the age of 71. Mike was born Aug. 29, 1944 in Brooklyn. He was the son of the late Irving and Claire (Dantow) Rogoff. He grew up on Long Island, graduating from Wantagh High School. He received his BA degree from Hofstra College and continued his education at Cornell University where he completed his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in psychology at the School of Human Ecology. His area of expertise was infancy and early childhood and while at Cornell he was able to work with Dr. Urie Bronfenbrenner and Dr. Harold Feldman. He received his Ph.D. from Cornell in June 1971, and began his teaching career at Keuka College in August 1971. He taught psychology courses, statistics and also junior and senior research seminar. His entire 44-year teaching career was spent at Keuka. He was chairman of the BASS Division for many years, served on numerous faculty committees and was named Professor of the Year in 2013. On Feb. 11, 2016, he taught his last class, Junior Research Seminar, online, from his room at Living Center South Rehab Center in Geneva, where he was recovering from surgery. He taught off campus, evening graduate classes for Elmira College for many years, and was a student himself, taking certificate courses in communications and public relations at RIT. His passions were teaching and learning, and he enjoyed both his entire life. Mike was active in the Penn Yan community from the time he arrived in 1971. Among his accomplishments were helping to establish: Rainbow Junction Child Care Center (formerly Yates Day Care Center), Penn Yan Manor Nursing Home, Clinton Crest Manor and The Yates County Office for the Aging (Now Pro-Action). He served on all of their boards and was currently President of the Board of the Northern Yates County United Way. Mike was proud of having been a volunteer firefighter first in his hometown of Wantagh and later for many years in the Keuka Park Fire Department. Mike was loved and will be missed by his colleagues, students and friends, but especially his family. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Marcia; two sons, Scott of Tempe, Ariz., and Peter (Carolyn) and grandsons, Luke, Sean and Evan all of Cortland. He also leaves his extended family who loved him dearly, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephew; and a brother, Jon and family of Florida. Mike’s family would like to thank all the staff at the Geneva General Dialysis Center, Living Center South Rehab Center and the Palliative Care Unit 4-1200 at Strong Memorial Hospital for the wonderful, loving, compassionate care Mike and all of his family received. A celebration of his life is being planned and will be held at Keuka College at a date and time to be announced. Private interment will be at Mt. Hebron Cemetery, Flushing, at the convenience of the family. Click here to read his obituary on the Keuka College website. Home Keuka Park, New York Birthplace Brooklyn, New York Donations