Roger Deane Figge

FIGGE, ROGER DEANE Roger D. Figge, 78, passed away peacefully at home on November 23, 2013 following a lengthy struggle with Parkinson's. Roger was born August 14, 1935 in Aurora, Illinois. His family moved to Albuquerque in 1942 and he attended University Heights Elementary School and Jefferson Junior High. He was a member of the first freshman class when the new Highland High School opened in 1949, graduating in 1953 in the school's first four-year class. He went on to get both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in History & Education from the University of New Mexico and was a member of the Phi Delta Kappa education honorary. He started a very successful career teaching World History at Valley High School. In 1961, Roger married Barbara Anthes, a fellow history teacher at Highland High, and returned to his beloved alma mater when Barbara left teaching in 1963 to raise their family. He continued team teaching with his brother, Robert, at Highland before retiring in 1991 after 30 years of teaching. Together, "The Figge Brothers" brought history alive to generations of students, being voted Senior Class Teacher of the Year many times. He sponsored two student tours to Europe to continue to bring history alive, and sponsored one of Japanese students to Albuquerque. Their tests became known as "Figge Biggies," and together they leave quite a legacy at Highland. The History Building was dedicated to Roger and Robert in 1990 and was renamed "Figge Hall". A new Figge Hall now stands at the east end of the HHS campus. Roger loved sports and cheered the Chicago Cubs with eternal optimism and played in a City senior softball league for many years following retirement. He was a member of St. John's United Methodist Church. Roger was preceded in death by his wife of 41 years, Barbara, and by his parents, Frank and Bertha Figge. He is survived by his daughter Debra Owen, her husband, Todd and their son, Kyle; his son Steven, his wife Deborrah and their children, Marlena, Jacob and Dylan; and his brother Robert. The family extends deep and heartfelt thanks to the team of loving, caring and dedicated caregivers who made the last three years of his life so much easier. Friends may visit at French Mortuary on University on Tuesday, November 26 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Services will be held at the same location on Wednesday, November 27, at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Animal Humane Association of New Mexico (animalhumane.org).