05/18/2026
Inside the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center’s Coffee Bar sits a very special table known as the “Stammtisch Table.”
In German culture, a Stammtisch is a table reserved for regulars — a place where friends, storytellers, thinkers, and community members gather consistently to share conversation and connection. It is less about the furniture itself and more about the relationships formed around it.
This particular table carries a deeply personal story.
Dr. June Scobee Rodgers and her late husband, General Don Rodgers, became beloved regulars at a local student-operated coffee shop years ago. The students eventually dedicated a “Table of Honor” to them because of the kindness, encouragement, and time they consistently shared with the young people there. General Rodgers, drawing from his experiences serving in Germany, introduced the students to the tradition of the Stammtisch table and the importance of places where community naturally gathers.
When the coffee shop eventually closed, the students carefully saved the table, attaching a plaque identifying it as the “Stammtisch Table,” and it ultimately found a new home here at the Heritage Center Coffee Bar.
Today, visitors can sit at the very same table inside the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center.
And if you’ve ever spent time with Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, you understand exactly why students loved her and General Rodgers so much. June has spent her life inspiring others through education, leadership, kindness, curiosity, and service following the loss of her first husband, Challenger commander Dick Scobee. She is genuinely one of those rare people who makes every room feel warmer, more hopeful, and more human.
The Stammtisch Table continues that legacy every single day.
