Exclusive Brethren Suicide - Kenneth Irwin Rogers

It can only be imagined how it felt to the wandering Ken Rogers, to be approached and offered a possible return to a stability he had not enjoyed for over 30 years. It must have felt like a dream come true. Ken had never really re-integrated into society and was now being offered an opportunity to find some peace.

Ken was in his 60's when he was approached by Graham Sealey, the leader of the Exclusive Brethren in Albury. As the local leader, and because he had known Ken from his Melbourne days, Graham Sealey bore responsibility for the task of establishing whether Ken Rogers could return to the Brethren. There were, by all accounts, many meetings between them.

Time passed and no decision was forthcoming. One of the major issues was that Ken would have to "get rid of" his dog. No member of the Exclusive Brethren was allowed pets - a directive from the alcoholic James Taylor Jnr era in the 1960's. Two years passed and Ken began to see the hope of returning to his family recede.

Graham Sealey and others in the Albury Exclusive Brethren knew much about Ken's background and illness. They knew how much he wanted to be reunited with his family. Nevertheless, they continued to procrastinate and eventually something in Ken 'broke'.

On September 19th, 2004, Ken drove to where his main Exclusive Brethren contact, Graham Sealey, worked. He parked the car outside Sealey's workplace, connected a hose to the exhaust and took his own life. If a death could have a target, Ken showed clearly who he felt was responsible.

As in a number of Exclusive Brethren suicides, no suicide note was found by the authorities.

Four days later on September 24th, 2004, Kenneth Irwin Rogers was buried quietly by the local Exclusive Brethren. Some describe the event as "secretive".

Today Ken lies in Section 10 K 43 at Albury Lawn Cemetery.

He lies in an unmarked grave.