LT./ Chief Pilot (Ret.) Stuart “Stu” Walker Royle, 70, passed away Tuesday, August 25, 2015.
Funeral services: 10 AM Saturday, August 29th at Lake Shore Funeral Home Chapel, 5201 Steinbeck Bend in Waco with Pastor Nehemiah Torberson officiating. Burial will follow at China Spring Cemetery.
Visitation: 6-8 PM Friday, August 28th at Lake Shore Funeral Home.
Stu graduated from Michigan State University in 1966 with a BA in History and a BS in English. Immediately after graduation, he was drafted in to the US Army. He entered OCS in November, 1966 and graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant in May, 1967. Stu was then assigned to Hawaii. He was promoted to Captain in November, 1969 and assigned to Vietnam at Pleiku in the 2nd of the 9th Artillery/4th Infantry Division. He was discharged from the Army in April, 1970. He left Hawaii in November, 1970 and moved to Coventry, Rhode Island. Stu went to work with the Coventry RI Police Department in November, 1970 rising to the rank of Chief of Detectives. Stu moved to Waco in 1980 and went to work for the McLennan County Sheriff’s office in July, 1981. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant over the Hwy. 6 Jail and retired in January, 2001. He then returned as Lt./Chief Pilot over the Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit, flying the department’s helicopter. Stu retired a second time alongside his wife, Janice August 31, 2012. He had a total of 31 years service with the S.O. and 10 years with Coventry PD for a grand total of 41 years in law enforcement. He lived to serve.
Stu was always so proud of the fact that his father was assigned to the US Army Air Force during WWII. Stu was in the US Army during the Vietnam War and his son, Andy, graduated from the Air Force Academy and was in the US Air Force during peace time.
He was preceded in death by his parents, George R. Royle, Jr. and Mary A. Royle of East Hampton Massachusetts.
Stu is survived by his wife, Janice (Kerr) Royle; son, Andy Royle and wife Ashley of Sykesville, MD; daughter, Amanda Squires and husband Bee Jay of Franklin, TN; four grandchildren, Walker and Katy Squires and Alec and Hannah Royle; two sisters, Susie St. Amand and friend Michael Cadenazzi and Barbara DiMente, all of Rhode Island; mother and father in law, Tommie and Kenneth Kerr; sister in law and brother in law, Donna and William Sanders, brother in law and sister in law, Jimmie and Peggy Kerr, and brother in law and sister in law, David and Linda Kerr; numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews; as well as many, many friends and loved ones, too many to name.
Pallbearers will be Robert Bleything, John Anderson, Jimmie Kerr, David Kerr, William Sanders, and Bee Jay Squires.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Contact Information:
Lake Shore Funeral Home & Cremation Services
Print Obituary & Condolences
Janice, you are in our thoughts and prayers. We want your family to have our condolences.
Glen and Penny Boyd
Rest in Peace Stu. I was only a rookie during your tenure at CPD, but was immediately impressed by your professionalism, wit and patience.
Ernie Quaglieri (Det. Capt. CPD, Ret’d)
My love to Janice, Andy and Amanda and families on the loss of Stu. What a good and decent man. You should be proud of his service and his legacy as well as his love of his family. I pray your heart is filled with precious memories.
Great man. Served his county and his country. Class act. He will be missed.
Janice and family,
We are sorry for the loss of your loved one. Our prayers are with you , as we know he is no longer in pain. May the days ahead find you a healing comfort.
Sincerely, Kay and Grady
Stu trained me at the booking desk and at first I thought that he might not like me. He got on to me several times for doing something stupid He took care of me as well as you Janice will always love you both
Janice/Andy/Amanda:
Stu was a nice guy.
Zoolie & Steve Allen
Janice and family,
Big hugs from me and Mitch. May God wrap His arms around all of you during this time.
Mitch and Rhonda
We are so sorry for your loss. We loved and thought the world of Stu as well as you. Our prayers are with you and know that we love you dearly.
Stu was a part of a small but wonderful group of friends at McDonel Hall at Michigan State University. Over the years we’ve scattered, reunited, lost contact, and reunited again. Stu was a witty, kind, and honest friend and we’ll all cherish those memories of a more peaceful and relaxed time at school.
From the reading of Stu’s obituary, his life was lived with love, duty, and the gift of teaching others. What a wonderful legacy and example of how to live life he left with his family. This is truly sad news to hear about an old friend. My sincere condolences to his family and many friends for your loss of a special person. RIP Stu, still miss those games of Hearts around the table in the Grill.
Served with Stu at the Sheriff Dept. for many years. Great guy, great police officer.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you Jan and family.
Coy Jones, Ret. Mc Lennan County Sheriff Dept.
I knew Mr. Royle through his son, Andy. What a great man and great father. He was supportive of Andy and his activities. My prayers for Andy and the family.
On the morning of Stu’s funeral service, I’m remembering him and when we met. It was our freshman year at Michigan State University and we sat next to each other in a required science class. The seating arrangement was alphabetically – Rickenback and Royle. Knowing Stu and his college friends made those years a lot more fun and very special for me. And so as the sun sets this evening, I will raise a glass of wine and toast to Stu Royle and his full but too short life.
Our deepest sympathy is extended to Janice, family and friends. Stu it is know your time to rest in peace. We had a good time together. God Bless!
Janice, I am so sorry. I didn’t know Stu but I wish I had. He sounds like a truly wonderful man. May you find peace and comfort in the knowledge that you will be together again around the throne of Jesus. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Big hugs and fond memories, Lynn