William Curtis Roy, 80, departed this life into eternal glory on Wednesday, March 25, 2020. He succumbed to internal injuries received from an accident while cutting timber. God was gracious to allow him a long, healthy life and his heart’s desire to “die while outside working” on his beloved farm.
Curtis, or “Uncle Willie” was born on October 28, 1939, to Floyd (Bolly) and Louise Roy. He was born and raised on Roy Hill and lived elsewhere only during his army service. After graduating from Thrasher High School in 1959, he was drafted and stationed in Germany for two years. After being discharged, he remained in the Army Reserve until 1969. After working at the Yellow Creek Nuclear Plant a few years, he worked for the Prentiss County Fifth District for over forty years. He made many friends and continued life-long relationships with his work family and the supervisors for whom he worked, W.V. Horn, William L. McKinney, and Larry Lambert. He retired on December 28, 2019.
Curtis, the self-proclaimed bachelor, married Nancy Wheat and after sixteen years, they were blessed with the birth of their only child, Molly. Five years later, after Nancy’s death, he became a single parent. Molly forever remained the “apple of his eye.” In 1995, Curtis married Mary Knight. Her children and grandchildren became his, and they were a family until Mary’s death in April 2011.
He is survived by his daughter Molly, his special companion Kathleen Tucker, brother Johnny (Janet), his nieces Christina (Trey) Caveness, Sarah (Lonnie) McKee and their children Analyse, Will, and Ellie, his step-daughter Amy (Chris) Green, step-daughters-in-law Jo Carol and Angie Knight, and their children, as well as numerous in-laws and cousins.
Curtis was preceded in death by his parents, wives, step-sons Todd and Greg Knight, brother James, an infant sister, his son-in-law Justin Perrigo, and many other loved ones. Curtis was a member of Candler’s Chapel Baptist Church.
Due to CDC Guidelines, a private family service will be held Saturday, March 28, 2020, at McMillan Funeral Home Chapel at 11:00 A.M. with Bro. David Westmoreland officiating. Burial will be in Prentiss Memorial Gardens. Beginning at 11:00 A.M. the service will be livestreamed on https://www.facebook.com/McMillanFuneral/. We regret that the multitude of friends and acquaintances whom Curtis made throughout his joyous life will be unable to share in this celebration of a man who found great joy in loving others. All will be invited to a Celebration of Life service to be held at a later time at his home church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Curtis to the following: Prentiss County Relay for Life mail to: American Cancer Society, 1380 Livingston Lane, Jackson, MS 39213 or online to: www.relayforlife/org/prentissms or given directly to: Tammy Phillips at BancorpSouth, Booneville Branch, also Candler’s Chapel Baptist Church, 214 CR 3151, Booneville, MS 38829, or charity of choice.
Condolences may be left at www.mcmillanfuneralhome.com.
