Obituary of Donald M. Royce

Donald M. Royce, "Bus," age 98, died Monday May 24th 2010 at Madigan Army Medical Center. Don was born May 22nd 1912 in Kellogg, Idaho, the son of Cary and Edna Royce. Don graduated from Kellogg high school in1931 before joining the Army Air Service, and later the United States Air Force. While teaching ROTC at Tulane University, New Orleans, he met and married his wife Margaret Bowers Royce, (Deceased) on December 10th 1949. Don also served at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska in the Ground Observer Corps. After having served 20 years in the Air Force, he began a career as a corrections officer at McNeil Island corrections center, where he worked for 20 years before retiring in 1980. Don was an experienced fisherman and loved to fly fish in many of the rivers and lakes in Washington and Montana. Don was an extremely active man, whose pastimes disguised his age, including his masterful pool-playing skills which he enjoyed up until his death. He was a longtime member of the American Veterans (AMVETS) and enjoyed playing poker with his friends there. Don is survived by his two sons, Cary and Tod Royce, and one daughter Donna Machado, two grandsons, one granddaughter, and two great grandsons, all residing in Washington State. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 5th at 1 pm in the Piper-Morley-Mellinger Funeral Home in Tacoma, WA. (5436 South Puget Sound Avenue Tacoma, Washington 98409.)