|
Visitation:
Saturday, August 10, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. at Towanda
Baptist Church
Service:
2 p.m. Saturday at the church
Funeral home:
East Lawn Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens,
Bloomington
Obituary
Roy Lee Redding, 103, of Towanda
passed away Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at his
residence.
He was born October 1 1920, in McLouth, Kansas, son
of Chancey Francis and Quintilla Gillihan Redding.
The Redding family soon moved to Tonganoxie, Kansas,
where Roy Lee attended grade school and high school.
He was president of his senior class and captained
both the football and basketball teams. Roy's family
included his older sister, Betty Lou (McVay);
younger brother Francis Raymond (Babe), and a
younger half-brother Alfred Roy Redding. Betty Lou
and Babe are deceased; Alfred (Debbie Nall) resides
in Lawrence, Kansas.
Roy Lee graduated from Pittsburg State College
(Kansas) in 1943 and reported for Navy duty soon
after. He married Margie Jean Allen, his sweetheart
since high school, on August 20, 1943, in the
Methodist Church in Evanston, Illinois, the day he
graduated from officers training at Great Lakes
Naval Base. Roy served as Lieutenant, J.G., gunnery
officer, on board LST 504 in the invasion of
Normandy at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. He was
later in action in North Africa and the invasion of
Southern France and was promoted to full Lieutenant.
Upon discharge from the Navy in 1945, Roy Lee and
Margie Jean lived in Kansas City with Margie's
mother (Myrtle Allen) and he worked as a salesman in
a furniture store. With their son Sam, born in 1946.
they moved to Tonganoxie, Kansas, in 1947 and lived
for a couple years in Roy's father's home where Roy
had grown up; son Rodney was born there in 1949 Next
the family moved to a small house in the country on
the farm of friends (Denholms). In 1950 Roy and
Margie purchased a home in Tonganoxie, where son
Kent was born in 1951, and lived there until 1955
when the family moved to Towanda, Illinois, where
Roy joined their Methodist minister in Kansas, Amos
Barton, as office manager of the Barton Construction
Company, building Route 66 and O'Hare Airport. Son
Gary Mel was born in 1955, son after the family's
move to Illinois. In 1956, the Reddings moved to the
home where Roy and Margie resided the rest of their
lives, raising their four boys just a block from the
grade school.
Roy was the office manager for Barton Construction
Company in Towanda until 1969, then an accountant
for State Farm Insurance until his retirement in
1985. Roy helped Sam with his businesses in Lincoln,
serving as part-time financial manager for 30 years.
Roy was village clerk, council member, and
three-term mayor in Towanda; a Mason; a Lion; an
elder of Towanda Baptist Church; and active with Boy
Scouts for many years. He was proud of his
involvement in village government, constructing a
new community building, forming a library district,
launching the annual Fourth of July Celebration, and
growing the annual Boy Scout Pancake and Sausage
event.
Roy Lee was preceded in death by his
wife Margie, head cook at Towanda Elementary School
near their home, who passed away October 26, 2009.
He was also preceded in death by his parents,
sister, brother Babe, son Kent, grandson Aaron, and
nephews Dennis McVay, Douglas Redding, and Kenneth
Redding. |
He is survived by his sons Dr. Sam Redding
(Jane), Towanda, IL; Lt. Col. Rodney Redding, USAF retired
(Meredith), Magnolia, Texas; and the Rev. Dr. Gary Mel
Redding (Tonda), Eads, Tennessee.
Roy Lee is also survived by his grandchildren: Rebecca
Domkuski (Doug), Towanda, IL; John Redding (Tammie),
Phoenix, AZ; Tom Redding (Brittany), Bulverde, TX; Cari
(Nathan) Rohlfs, Emden, IL; Jordan Redding (Meagan),
Corinth, TX; Robyn Marr (D.J.), Conroe, TX; Ryan Lowery
(Olga), Magnolia, TX; Kristin Redding, Tomball, TX; Briana
Blake, Arlington, TX; Emily (Jacob Morton) Redding, Cordova,
TN; and MacKenzie Redding (Courtney), Bamberg, Germany.
Roy Lee left 29 great-grandchildren, all of whom knew him
lovingly as Pop. Among those great-grandchildren is his
sidekick for the past 22 years, Aidan Domkuski, who lived
with Roy the last few years and shared a very special
relationship with him.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 10, 2024 at
2:00 p.m. at Towanda Baptist Church with visitation one
half-hour prior to service. Pastor Jack Moody will
officiate. Committal service will take place at East Lawn
Memorial Gardens Cemetery at 3:30 p.m. with military honors
being rendered. Followed by a meal at the family home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Redding Family for
later distribution to charities.
Online condolences may be left for the family at
www.eastlawnmemorial.com. |
Roy
Lee Redding