Roy Avery

LeRoy W. Avery will be remembered as a quiet, easygoing man whose actions spoke volumes for his character. He loved his family with a large and benevolent heart and spent his life balancing hard work with being a good father and husband, succeeding in providing the best for his family. Roy maintained an essence of commitment to family, faith and the joy of life itself.

In the year 1918, the end of World War I was in the near horizon and Americans eagerly anticipated a return to peacetime. It was a time of uncertainty and change in America's history, but for Nahum Avery and his wife, Mabelle (Richmond), of Traverse City, Michigan , it was also a time of great blessing. On February 8, 1918, they welcomed the birth of their only child, son LeRoy William. When Roy , as he was called, was two, his father died from pneumonia, which almost took his life too. His grandmother swaddled him in an onion poultice, which brought down his temperature and saved his life.

To support her son, Mabelle went to work as a telephone operator at a message center. Her job was later transferred to Kalamazoo when Roy was 10. It was here that she met Howard Martin and they were married. Together, they had a son named Charles, and a little brother for Roy . From a young age, Roy was always very quiet and kept to himself. Though once he was in high school, he came out of his shell some and participated with the wrestling team. After graduating from Kalamazoo Central in 1936, Roy immediately began to work at Railroad Express.

In 1941, Roy enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming . While in the military, he had an emergency appendectomy and was on medical leave for 15 days. During this time, his mother sent him a ticket to come visit her in Missouri for a few days, after which he decided to visit his girlfriend in Kalamazoo . Her name was Norma Jean Glidden and she was a waitress at Aragons (now known as Ted & Marie's), a restaurant Roy had frequented for coffee and lunch. They had developed a close friendship and were dating before Roy left for the service. Before going back from leave, their friends encouraged the young couple to elope, which they did and were married on May 8, 1941. Due to the circumstances, their wedding was very simple and put together on a budget of $100, which Roy got from selling a car.

Once Roy returned to service, Norma stayed in Kalamazoo and lived with her parents for a while. Eventually, she moved into an apartment and worked at W.T. Grant Department Store. Meanwhile, Roy finished up his four years in the service in Officers' Candidate School . He entered the program as a Corporal and had attained the rank of 1st Lieutenant when he finished. This was one of the proudest accomplishments in Roy 's life.

After his honorable discharge, Roy returned home to his beloved wife and went back to work at Railroad Express, loading and unloading freight cars and making deliveries. He and Norma were blessed with their first child, Larry, in 1948, though tragically he died a year later of a blood clot in the brain. In time, they welcomed the births of two more sons, Kenneth and Robert, who brought great joy to the Avery household. Roy and Norma raised their boys in a traditional manner. They bought a home in Oakwood, where they would live for 36 years, and regularly attended Sunday services at Christian Church Disciples of Christ, where Roy was a lifelong member since 1951. While Norma was a nurturing homemaker, Roy supported the family working at Durametallic Corporation in the Shipping Department. He worked here for 29 years until he retired in 1983.

Roy was an interested and active father in his sons' lives and supported them in all their sporting events and other interests. When it came to discipline, Norma was usually the enforcer while Roy was more easygoing and usually told the boys "If it's okay with your mother, its okay with me." Traditionally, the family took a vacation to Denver every year, visiting Roy 's mom and stepfather, and would drive this long distance. Norma would pack peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for their trip, which they ate at parks along the way, so the boys could run and play for a while.

A tinker by nature, Roy loved to spend his leisure time in the garage, fixing something or tinkering on an antique motor he bought many years ago for $5. He actually used the motor once to go fishing, which he enjoyed but really didn't get a chance to go that often. He proudly passed this motor on to his son Ken. Roy also liked cars and fixed many of his own as well as family member's cars. When not in the garage, Roy liked to read books about World War II and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and he watched the same type of shows on television. Unfortunately two years ago, Roy's health began to decline and he went to live at Tendercare Nursing Home in Kalamazoo .

Roy was a man of strong character, a dependable husband, father and friend. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

LeRoy William Avery died on October 26, 2005, at Tendercare in Kalamazoo . He was preceded in death by an infant son, Larry. Along with his wife, Norma Jean (Glidden) Avery, Roy is survived by his children: Ken (Deborah) Avery of CA, and Bob (Joan) Avery of ID; two grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Learn more about Roy, view his Life Story film, and visit with his family and friends on Monday, October 31, from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the Christian Church Disciples of Christ (2208 Winchell), where a Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Arrangements made by Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, Stadium Drive West of US-131, 375-2900. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory of Roy , order flowers or make a memorial contribution to Christian Church Disciples of Christ.