Roger A. Bottoms

Nov. 17, 1956-June 30, 2018

Services: Funeral services for Roger will be 2 p.m. Thursday, July 5, 2018 at Barnes Family Funeral Home in Ozark with Pastor Dustin Lair officiating. Burial will follow in Eisenhour Cemetery, Spokane. Visitation will be 1 p.m. Thursday until service time in the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at www.barnesfamilyfunerals.com.

Roger A. Bottoms, age 61 of Republic, passed away Saturday, June 30, 2018 at Cox South Hospital. He was born Nov. 17, 1956 in Indianapolis Indiana to Harley F. and Mary H. Bottoms and grew up around the Indianapolis area. Roger attended Southport High School, where he excelled in wrestling and track, and met his first wife Rena, to this union two girls were born, Roxanne Mae Bottoms and Nicole Harlene Davis. 

Roger loved to tell stories about living in Speedway, Indiana. They could sit on the roof of his house and watch the Indianapolis 500 and then they would go into the infield/pit area and party during speed week. He also spoke often of always having his fishing gear in his vehicle at all times so that if he came upon a good fishing hole, he could throw a few casts.

He loved telling stories of his trips to the pay lakes, and the homemade bait he would concoct to catch fish, such as using Wheaties and worms soaked in rum. 

He had an adventurous spirit. Ask his daughters about the time he tried to help an injured deer by picking it up and putting it in the bed of his pickup. I guess you probably know how that went. He loved hunting of all types but especially bow hunting as he once worked in the archery section at a sporting goods store. Through his younger years, he enjoyed his outdoor hobbies of hunting, fishing, boating, and going to the shooting ranges and especially times spent with his Mom, her companion Orville and his brother Gary. He loved to camp, with family and friends, as he loved to tell the story of waking up one night to a flooding camp ground.

Everyone knew that Roger had a huge heart, this was especially true when it came to his now deceased nephew Little Gary, (son of brother Gary Wayne Bottoms). He was a parental voice for his nephew, who resided with his grandmother, Roger would help in any way he could, (transportation, guidance, punishment, etc.) he was always there to help cover those responsibilities.

He went to Superior Truck Driving School, graduating in September 1984. This began his 34-year career as a truck driver, where he was known on the CB as Footloose.  He was always a loyal and respected driver everywhere he worked.  Especially for the Day family, working for Day’s Express for a large part of the 1980’s and then returning to the Day family again in 2003 at Hoosier Air Transport until May of 2018.  Roger also worked for a couple companies in between.

During his time at Day’s Express, in 1989, he met his current wife Ellen Bottoms, who was an employee at Sto’s Truck Stop in Mt Vernon. She quit her job to be his co-driver in the truck and in life.  To this marriage two boys were born, Roger Alan Kyle Bottoms and Mitchel Lynn Bottoms.  The boys were faithful to their love of the trucking life, which led them to also become successful truck drivers. Roger was very proud of them and was often giving them advice. He loved telling everyone his outlaw trucking stories to the point that everyone could finish the stories for him.  Such as the time Roger and Ellen were on I-40 around Moriarty, New Mexico and out ran the cops exceeding 100 mph, by jumping into a rest area and shutting the truck down behind a huge boulder. We watched the police fly by and decided that it might be time to take a nap.

Roger loved being a truck driver. He tried other jobs such as working with his mom at Western Electric Telephone Company in Indianapolis, KFC and making cement car stops. He decided none of that was for him. He knew the only job for him was being behind the wheel and his future lemonade stand that he always threatened to quit driving for. Roger started working at Certified Express Inc., so he could be around home more to be with Ellen and enjoy life a little more. Family was everything to him!

Roger and Ellen were married almost 29 years. He was the love of her life! He was on the road a lot doing whatever it took to provide for his family and making sure they had everything they needed. He made outstanding biscuits and gravy, cooked great meals on the grill and falling asleep on the couch. He was always up for a trip to Bass Pro Shops, where he dreamed of owning a kayak for fishing. He could never pass up a chili three way from Steak `n Shake with a double cheeseburger. He was a great story teller and had a great sense of humor. He loved the holidays, such as Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

He enjoyed raising his boys until they graduated high school and started their own lives.  Through his life journey he became a proud grandpa to eight grandchildren.  

Roger and Ellen realized their dream of home ownership in August 2017 in Republic. where he resided until his death. 

Roger leaves a gaping hole in the heart of his family.

Roger was preceded in death by his father Harley Freeman Bottoms, mother Mary Helen Presley; sister Carolyn Mae Bottoms; nephew Gary Wayne Bottoms, Jr.; mother in Law Nelrose M. Mitchell.

Roger is survived by his loving wife, Rose Ellen Bottoms, two daughters, Roxanne Mae Bottoms-Collins, Nicole Harlene Davis (Darren) of Indiana; two sons, Roger Alan Kyle Bottoms (Emily) and Mitchel Lynn Bottoms, Republic.  He is survived by eight precious grandchildren, Austyn William-Richard Collins, Kameron Shae Collins, Aidyn Michael Collins, Jacob David Alan Yager, Conner James Davis,  Alexandria Nicole Davis, Marlee Rose and Kyler Alan Bottoms; his brother Gary Wayne Bottoms, Indiana, and sister-in-laws Melinda (Mark), Pam (Tom), Lisa (Jeff) and brother-in-law Lynn (Sandy) and a host of nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.   

He will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him.