Grandpa.
-He asked me to hold a gunny sack open while he stuffed a very pissed off rattlesnake into it.  Didn't even have it caught by the head, had it pinched in the belly and snake was striking at everything.  My response to holding open a gunny sack was "Hell NO"
- We were running a trot line in Mauck's creek and at about midnight we decided to check the lines.  We hooked the back foot of one of the biggest turtles I've ever seen and that turtle was not happy.  Snapping at the boat, the oar, basically anything close by. Grandpa decided he would swing it into the front of the canoe which is where I was sitting.  I crawled to edge of the bow and was looking at how far shore was because if he put that mad turtle in with me I was swimming for it.  Again, Hell NO grandpa! Luckily the turtle was heavy enough it snapped the hook and swam off.  
-We did catch a nice snapping turtle one time and he was showing me how to butcher a snapping turtle, I was impressed with the big K-Bar fighting knife he was gifted by Roger.  He was jabbing away at that turtle explaining to me that there was at least 9 different kinds of meat one could get from a turtle, I thought to myself "Hell NO" there is not going to be 9 different kinds meat after you get done mutilating that  thing.  Grandma did fry it up.  
-He was also into making homemade wine and when I was old enough he took me into the basement to give me a taste of his brew.  Again was it wine?  Hell NO it was vinegar and I drank it anyway told him it was pretty good.  
And Hell Yes he was always a lot of fun and we enjoyed each other very much.

I woke up this morning thinking  about the times we spent together at your childhood home. It was a good, loving home.  Losing our parents is a completely unique life experience and different for each of us, but the memories tend to come rushing back.  I pray that today is truly a day of celebration for all of you as you commemorate the life of your Dad.  I will not be able to be with you as I had planned because of a respiratory thing Joel and I are dealing with.  I was so looking forward to spending some time with you and seeing Roger and Jana all grown up.  We had a saying taped to a clock in the old house out on 61st--Life is what happens when you are making other plans.  So it is.  I love you, always will and am praying for you and your family.

I take pride in the man my grandfather was, and I’ll always cherish my memories of him. His good sense of humor, coupled with Grandma’s ability to handle his antics, is something I will always remember fondly. One of my fondest memories is spending summers with them, where his dog, goat, garden, and guns all were fun parts of the summer. The smell of red peppers in the summer always transports me back to their home, where the produce from their garden made the kitchen smell so good.

During my time overseas, grandpa would consistently send me peanut brittle in the mail for the holidays, sharing one of his favorite Christmas treats. I am proud that he was my grandfather and that he passed-on so many positive attributes to my father, with love and loyalty to family being the primary one. There are many more memories, but they all come down to the fact that he was a good man and grandfather who touched my life. 

I find solace in knowing that he is now reunited with Grandma and “Old Blue,” and at peace.

If you knew my grandpa, then you knew he was a just a little bit different than your average person.  I remember going to church with him and being introduced to different people.  I would often hear something like, “Mr. J.R. is your grandpa?, I’m sorry to hear that”, as they would chuckle at their joke.  As I am older I know those were his friends, but if you were one of those people I didn’t like you at all as a child.  I knew he was different even at a young age, but I loved him the way he was.  

Things I remember…. hearing  “Tucker”, or “Hammer”. He claims to have saved himself from a fight claiming he yelled “Tucker” at someone when he was confronted.  He told me how he would lay at the bottom of a hill with a buddy in the middle of the road as a game of chicken, not sure if that was true or not, but I believed it.  I’ll never forget him teaching me what a “birthday suit” was in his basement.  He taught me how to make a bomb, and sent me home with some fuse wire.  The only ingredient I remember was saltpetre because he told me “just remember salty peter”, and I know there was a gesture so I wouldn’t forget....it worked.  I remember him training his goat to headbutt his fist, being worried that he was going too fast driving me on the moped, and also being nervous my whole life that he couldn’t see when driving. I remember his amazing van, being a fanatic about cleaning his guns, but just pushing snow deeper into his barrel.  He introduced me to mixing sorghum and butter for a snack.  When he was visiting and sleeping in my bed with grandma I had to sneak in for socks that I forgot to grab the night before, and I will never forget that morning or his proud comments afterwards.  

There are other memories, but the ones that stick out are the memories that are a little bit different than your average grandpa.  I am happy he was able to live such a long life, and that he was able leave a lasting impression on everyone he met.

I wish we could be there to help lay Grandpa to rest.  It was always a special time getting to spend time at Grandma and Grandpa’s.  Many holiday memories and special summers.  Grandpa memories; Rummaging through his stuff in the basement, exploring along the train tracks, walking the big ditch, fishing at the Maucks, floating the Buffalo, spending night on the Buffalo, floating “firewood” down the river, 34” yellow cat, camping at Bull Shoals, uncle Thurl’s fish ponds and 4 wheelers, Roger shooting Grandpas bobber off the catfish pond, riding in the back of the truck from Witchita to Arkansas, overnight fishing at the Maucks, trot lines and yo-yos, the smell of fish bait and chicken gizzards, catching crawfish, blowing up his shotgun barrel with snow, catching rattlers in New Mexico, letting air out of his tires in the desert, panning for gold, hunting arrowheads, back massages, pulling leg hairs, working in the garden, shooting BB gun, playing with the goat, scary nights in basement with the knight, snake heads in the basement, woodworking, random creations, melting styrofoam with gasoline to make fire starter, rubber band guns and sling shots, horse radish and garlic, watermelon and cotton candy, horse tank swimming pool, catching horn toads, bee sting arthritis cures, eye patches and captain hats, going to church with him and grandma, knives, and 100 other things.  He was not aways available for an adventure because of work until he retired but he always had something going and included us with each endeavor.  Always excited to show us the next odd thing.  I wonder what he’s going to come up with in heaven now that he has an eternity of time?  Glad God has grandma to help keep him in line.  God broke the mold when he made our grandpa, prayers and best wishes for all of our family celebrating his life and laying him down to a well deserved rest.  We love you Grandpa, looking forward to seeing you again someday.  Keep your line tight until we get there.  Lindsey

Dear Jana, Scott, and Tyler - Jason, Nora Cate, and I send love and support as you grieve the loss of Dad. Thank you for the great stories you shared of him with us. There is no greater blessing than being cared for by family and passing from this world surrounded by love. Xoxo

OBITUARIO

J.R. Royston

27 agosto, 1930 – 17 noviembre, 2023

Lakeview Funeral Home & Cemetery

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