- Date Of Birth: April 30, 1920
- Date Of Death: March 8, 2010
- State: California
Roy was born on his grandfather’s farm in Wilson, Oklahoma on April 30, 1920, and departed this world to be with his Lord Jesus Christ on March 8, 2010. He was the oldest of eight children of Dee and Dovie Hester and grew up in Oklahoma. He joined the Army Air Corps after Pearl Harbor and was stationed in Egland as a Flight Engineer on a B-26 flying 60 missions including 36 hours non-stop except to go back to base to re-load and re-fuel. He was in the 450th Bomb Squadron, 322nd Air Group and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross twice and the Air Medal with 9 Oak leaf clusters. On May 9th, 1945, he married his wife Opal and they were blessed with 2 daughters, Nancy and Linda. They had 7 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren, one just born on March 4th.
Roy loved his family dearly and enjoyed every minute with them. He was an extraordinary man who lived life to its fullest. He was a friend to all and will be remembered by his funny jokes and interesting stories. He loved to grow roses and carnations and riding horses, breaking them with his dad when he was 12 years old in Oklahoma. Whenever he could he would be hiking the trails in the back country of Los Padres National Forrest, the Yosemite and he climed Mt. Whitney and went to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back up in one day with his wife Opal.
He worked hard all his life, 30 years in wholesale dairy sales, and 12 years in motel management, retiring from the parts department at Crown dodge in Ventura when he was 82.
We loved him dearly and will keep his favorite Bible verse in our hearts until we see him again “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear, The Lord is the srong hold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid” Psalms27:1
It’s not a goodbye – just see you later.
