Roy Francis Howard, of Vinton, was born May 13, 1927 in Roanoke and died on July 8, 2011, after battling heart disease for many years. He was 84 and had just celebrated his 49th wedding anniversary with his loving wife, Dixie L. Shockley on July 3, 2011. Roy was the eldest of ten children of Roy C. Howard, of Floyd, and Frances L. Aguly, of Lexington. He was preceded in death by both his parents and his first wife, Margaret W. Bell (1961); by brothers, Joseph A. (1984), Richard B. (1995) and Charles L. Howard (2006) and by a sister, Alice Hatcher (1998).

He is survived by his wife, Dixie S. Howard, of Vinton; four children, R. Vince, of Athens, Ga.; Kent J., of Santa Monica, Calif.; Dawn C., of Oakwood, Ga. and Lee A. Howard, of Vinton, ; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; brothers, Robert A., of Newport, R.I. and E. Duane Howard, of Roanoke; sisters, Barbara Wilson, of Roanoke, Anges M. Mason, of York, Pa. and Marjorie W. Hawthorne, of Gainesville, Va.

Roy graduated from Jefferson High School of Roanoke in 1948 after serving in the United States Navy during World War II. He worked briefly for Capital Airlines at National Airport in Washington D.C. before returning to Roanoke, where he worked for Appalachian Power Company for 40+ years. Roy loved life in the Roanoke Valley. He was a member of the Roanoke Jaycees that built the children’s train around Mill Mountain Zoo. He performed in Roanoke’s Diamond Jubilee (1957) at Victory Stadium. He taught Sunday School at South Roanoke Memorial Methodist Church. He enjoyed nature, sports, planes and trains. He was an avid bowler and played fast pitch softball for Appalachian Power for many years. He enjoyed golf and continued the family traditions of canasta and croquet. He will be missed.