Antonio Duante Rodgers

ANTONIO DUANTE RODGERS departed this life at the age of 36, but his larger-than-life persona and hallmark charisma will not be forgotten. He was born on January 31, 1986, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the second son of four children born to his father, the late Lawrence Elliot Rodgers, Sr., and his mother Cathy Denise Rodgers. A ectionately known as Tony by his family and many friends, he was an entrepreneur by trade, a tremendous businessman, and an avid investor. He attended Simeon Career Academy, class of 2004, where he  ourished in football. He played as an outside linebacker and safety for the Wolverines, helping to secure two city championships. Tony was multi-talented and athletic; he also played baseball, wrestling, and basketball. He later attended MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. He despised failure and accepted every challenge that life threw at him with open arms and raved at overcoming each one. He proudly displayed the wittiness he possessed in every aspect of his life. He was very determined, observant, caring, compassionate, and a silent leader whose actions always spoke louder than words. Also, a jokester, he knew how to calm you down and  re you up at the same time in his own way. He exempli ed “teamwork makes the dream work,” a true team player. If he was to say something that didn’t quite line up right, he was quick to apologize, and he was tenacious in never giving up.  e way he processed information received to become a better individual showed the brilliance of his mind and the signi cance of a strong upbringing. Antonio was a risk-taker, and he knew that nothing beats a failure except a failure without a try. One thing that he wasn’t willing to take a risk with was his relationship with Christ. He accepted God as his Lord and Savior, and although he didn’t understand all things, he knew that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life. Antonio’s strong work ethic and keen sense of wisely saving and investing his money allowed him to embark on many successful business ventures, including credit repair, bitcoin mining, gold exchange, and Salon Heaven. It would be remiss to not mention his most fortunate business venture and his heart that he built himself from the ground up, laying a foundation so solid that it created a thriving brand. Tony started Lavish AR International Virgin Hair Extensions in 2009 a er extensive research and gaining the necessary aptitude and tools to be unstoppable in the hair industry. Antonio perfected his cra so well that any customer purchasing from him could be con dent that not only were they purchasing top quality hair but that they were going to look very good in it, “darling.” You could never call him a king because he was in fact an emperor. Tony strived daily to conquer more goals and gain more knowledge to be able to rule over more than just one kingdom, but his dreams and aspirations were so big that it was considered settling if he didn’t go a er the whole empire. Having a drive and outlook on life such as this inspired an ability to reach higher heights than what was o ered to the generations before him.  e sky was never the limit when there were footprints on the moon. Antonio was renowned for his lack of patience, not holding back his opinion, and a knack for telling it like it is. He was highly pro cient in beating others in word games that he grew to perfect. He was a connoisseur of many things and a  rm believer that hard work and diligence eventually pays o . He always told you the truth, even if it wasn’t what you wanted to hear. He was ambitious to a fault, a teddy bear at heart, and yet he sugar-coated absolutely nothing. To quote Winston Churchill: “He was a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” Antonio was known for his timeless words of wisdom, especially “Life is hard, but it’s harder if you’re stupid.” He had a great fondness for helping others, being a genuine supporter, encouraging those that may have thought that they were at the end of their rope, and mentoring those same people to create a knot to keep holding on. In the last year, Antonio was faced with a battle of stage IV cancer and experienced a turning point in the decline of his health. His devout determination and impeccable mindset had served him well throughout his life, and even in his waning months, he was a model of strong will and sheer determination right up until the end of his journey. Antonio knew the  ght was  xed, and he conceded to the will of our Lord God to accept his new position in Heaven with bene ts that no one else could o er. On Wednesday, May 11, 2022, he resigned from this Earth having already served notice. Antonio leaves not to mourn, but to celebrate the life he lived so gracefully, and the legacy he created to carry on: his mother, Cathy Denise Rodgers; his brother, Lawrence Elliott Rodgers, Jr.; and his sister, Jazmine Rodgers, all of Chicago, IL.;  ve uncles, Walter King, Curtis Rodgers (Daphine), Chetwyn Rodgers (Willa), Brian Hoosier (Myra, deceased), and Norman Hoosier (Martha); four aunts, June Rodgers-Calhoun, Kimberly Pete (Kelly), Karen Hoosier, and Gloria Butler (Moses); two grandmothers, Mary Rodgers and Mary Hoosier; and a massive host of cousins, other family, and friends. 

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