INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, October 31 — Former BLE General Chairman Morris Royal Sr. passed away on October 29, 2019. He was 97 years old.
Brother Royal was born November 16, 1921 in Texarkana, Arkansas. He was a World War II Veteran of the United States Navy and a Union Pacific locomotive engineer. Brother Royal was a highly respected member and officer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers for 62 years. He spent many of those years in service to the membership as an elected officer of the BLE, serving his General Committee of Adjustment as Secretary-Treasurer and eventually as General Chairman. He was a member of Division 496 (Texarkana, Ark.), and he retired effective January 31, 1987.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Royal, a daughter, Patricia Gail Royal, and a grandson, Tony Buchanan. Survivors include one daughter, Barbara Buchanan of Texarkana, Arkansas, two sons and daughters-in-law, Morris Jr., and Charlotte Royal of Sherman, Texas, and Ira and Sue Royal of Texarkana, Arkansas, seven grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 1, at the Texarkana Funeral Home–Arkansas Chapel (4801 Parkway Dr., Texarkana, AR 71854, phone (870) 774-1200). Burial with military honors will be at Harmony Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:30 p.m. Friday until service time.
Further information may be found on the Texarkana Funeral Home website, and online condolences can be left here. Memorials may be made to the International Mission Board, 3806 Monument Avenue, P. O. Box 6767, Richmond, VA, 23230-0767.
“Brother Royal served this Organization with dignity and respect for many years,” BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce said. “On behalf of all BLET members throughout the nation, I extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Brother Royal.”