Roy Lee Walker, Jr.

Roy Lee Walker, Jr was born on February 6, 1925 to Roy Lee Walker, Sr and Mattie Stone Walker in Luling, TX and passed on to an eternity with the Lord on March 2, 2017 at Harbor Hospice Home in Beaumont, TX.

As an infant, Roy contracted polio and was told he would have to wear leg braces his entire life and never run.  He ended up playing football, band, tennis, baseball, and held track records for years at Dickinson High School.  Upon leaving high school, Roy joined the Navy with his 2 best friends.  The problem was, he had just met a pretty young lady, Naida Guinn, and he was set to ship out on the USS Pennsylvania for the next 2 and half years during WWII.  Though Roy and Naida wrote often, Roy definitely still enjoyed his time in the Navy. 

Upon completion of his navy tour, he and Naida married on March 17, 1946 and they enjoyed many happy years traveling across the country, though briefly apart while he served in the Korean Conflict. After finally settling down in Sulphur, LA, Roy became employed with Conoco Chemicals, eventually becoming the safety Maintenance Supervisor.  Also, at that time, they welcomed their only child, Joni. Over the next several years, Roy enjoyed bowling, golf, and after retirement, helping with their grandchildren Sean and Michelle and later on Brian. During his retirement, Roy would be the first one at Frasch Golf Course in Sulphur.  He would make the coffee in the club house and he and his group always had the first tee time, many times so dark you couldn’t see the fairway.

After the death of his beloved wife in 2001, Roy moved to Lumberton, Texas into the home of his daughter and son-in-law.  Though now diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, Roy did not slow down, he just switched from golf to working at his new church home, First Baptist Church in Lumberton, and in the local VFW, American Legion, and DAV.  Roy never met a stranger.  If in a restaurant, he would talk to several folks at different tables on the way to checking out.  He also would drive to various businesses during the day and visit with several of our local business owners and elected officials. Roy also loved children.  Every Wednesday, he would go to one of the Lumberton ISD campuses and help with Kids for Christ.  He had a horn on his walker that he loved having the kids come and honk.   This outgoing personality led to him being chosen Lumberton Citizen of the Year in 2010 and a few years later Veteran of the Year.  All this while having broken one hip in 2007 and another in 2008.  Though slowing down and having caregivers, he was always wanting to play dominoes. He could even dose off and still win.  Later, at Spanish Trails, Roy not only played lots of dominoes, he found a new game he loved – Bingo. He was always up for a good afternoon game. 

Roy was a fighter, who never gave up.  He loved his God, his family, this country and the military.  He will be missed by so many family and friends, too many to count.  Roy is preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife Naida, his brother, Willie Walker, and sister, Dot Dousay.  Roy is survived by his daughter and her husband, Joni and Steven Stafford of Lumberton, sister Pat Hruby of League City,grandchildren, Michelle Velez and her husband Sgt. Phil Velez of Puyallup, WA, Staff Sgt. Sean Tuggle of Lincoln, UK, and Brian Stafford of Lumberton, greatgrandchildren are Aubrey Roberts and Gabriel Velez of Puyallup, WA.

The family would like to thank those who have taken such precious care of daddy, Yvonne Rhine, Lurry White, Barbara Culp, Hula Moss, Ashlee Baker, Karen Kiefer, Nina Roberts, all the wonderful folks at Spanish Trails Assisted Living in Silsbee, his nurses Janet, Catherine and Wanda and the supportive staff at Harbor Hospice.

His family will receive friends Sunday March 5, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. The funeral service is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 6, 2017 at the First Baptist Church of Lumberton, officiated by Reverend Kyle Warren. Interment will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Mimosa Pines Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sulphur, LA.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask donations be made in Roy’s name to FBC Lumberton Building Fund, 119 Church Loop, Lumberton, TX; American Legion Post 72, P O Box 30184, Lumberton, TX; or VFW Post 1514, P O Box 872, Village Mills, TX 77663.