This is the post I never wanted to write...

                       3 out of the 4 favorite people in his life

Gilbert Leroy.... 12-23-xxxx ....7-8-2014

Roy to his friends...and he had many....

Roy started out as the youngest child of Gilbert and Mary.

Raised up by them, with the help of his older sister, Cis.

Roy was the average boy.. full of fun, lots of friends, and

tormentor of his older sister. Living the average life of a

child growing up in the 40's and 50's.  He was my kid

brother.  We weathered a life of having a mother who

wasn't sure what to do with children.. animals she knew

well..  so we had each other's back. I was the one he would

threaten the bullies with.. "wait until my big sister hears

about this"... it helps to be 4 years older.

And we made it thru our childhood safe and sound.

As an adult he flourished, as man of his own.. A kind hearted

man. Always helping friends and even strangers.  In his line

of work at a gas station, delivering oil to homes, installing and

repairing heating stoves.

But there was much more. He signed up to be a volunteer

fireman for the town of Jamestown.. Jamestown, the birth

place of our father. A small island across the bay from Newport.

He raised in the ranks over the years. Commanding

one of the big fire trucks. Becoming a Commander, a leader of

men.  Not just of the fire trucks but of the Rescue wagon as well.

Serving for more years than I can remember. Still going to meetings

until just last month.  His son followed in his foot steps.

His family had a radio and alarm that sounded in his home, and

did many times during the night...

Being one not to be a slacker, he also ran a business on the

side. He mowed lawns and landscaping in the summer, and

plowed snow during the winter.  His son followed his footsteps.

Now throw in, being a son of parents, who had a farm. Who was

called on to help out on many things that it takes to run a farm.

Especially during hay time. It was nothing to get a call in the

evening.. "We have hay down, and baling tomorrow.. can you

and your friends come?"  And of course the answer was always yes.

No matter what plans he had for the day.

He was the type of guy who if he heard of a need, he would do

his best to help out, if he couldn't do it, he would find someone

who could. When far away relatives showed up, he would make

sure they got to make the rounds to local relatives.

I can remember returning to the state in the late 1970's. I got to

see him in action..  Before he was just my kid brother, father of

two kids, and a good husband.. But after spending 4 years there,

I left to come back out west to Idaho. I left feeling such pride

in the kid, who became a man.

Roy's wife Dorothy always stood by his side, thru thick and

thin.. They both took their vows of for better or worse very

seriously. With the ups and downs of life, they always had

each other's back.  He has a daughter, Diane, who was his

shining star... Daddy's girl..  Watched her grow up from his

little girl to a woman he admired. Loving her family.

And a son, who shared part of his name, who became his

buddy.  Watching him grow from a little guy, to a man he

admired. With his family living close by, he enjoyed his

grandchildren who brought him a lot of laughter.

But now it seems that God needs this man, and has walked

him up to the clouds, to where our parents and aunts and

uncle, who he will join. 

This man, leaves a huge hole in the lives of not only his

family, but so many friends he has met, helped, worked

beside, played beside. This man leaves a hole in my heart.

And even though we tormented each other as children.. he

is a great man, who I admire.  God Bless... Roy... safe

journey... and I know you will be your family's guardian

angel...

This man, leaves us ... WAY TOO SOON...  Aunt Harriet,

Mom and Dad.. you take good care of him.

Dang it, I knew he was going to go first...

Oh, God, I can hear him now.. MOM...DAD.. you

should hear what Cis did now... he was always a tattle tailer.

:-)

Good bye little buddy....