Harold Roey

 

Roey.jpg

 

July 15, 1941 – September 18, 2013

 

 

HalRoey.jpgHal Roey passed away with complications from a severe stroke.

 

Spoiling and enjoying his grandchildren was his joy and pleasure. Hal enjoyed travelling with his wife, Nan, of 50+ years, who survives him as well as their three sons; Dave, Mike and Steve, and 7 grandchildren; Ashlen, Jessica, Dillon, CJ, Tyler, Canela and Elica.

 

Hal was a Procurement Officer in the US Air Force and was most recently employed at SETI Institute. He spent 50+years as an aerospace contracts specialist and mgr. He was a lifetime member of San Jose Elks lodge 522.

 

Hal will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, caring father and wonderful and fun grandpa to his grandchildren and extended family. His sense of humor, compassion and positive upbeat attitude will be missed but remembered fondly in the hearts of all who knew him.

 

Friends are invited to attend a Funeral Service Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013 at 9:00a.m at LIMA & CAMPAGNA SUNNYVALE MORTUARY, 1315 Hollenbeck Ave., Sunnyvale. Donations can be sent in lieu of flowers to the San Jose Elks Major Project or the Palo Alto VA Hospital.

 

Alan, just a note about Harold Roey and the influence that he had on my life as a young man growing up in West Natick. I remember the day that we both got off the school bus on Hartford street., ( 1957 ) and as we were walking home, he saw a package that the mailman had left hanging on the mailbox. He was so excited seeing the package, apparently he knew that it was for him. He ran the last few steps to get it and then he invited me into his house to show me what he got. He was so happy. He belonged to the Book of the Month club and when he opened the package, out dropped all kinds of books, colorful brochures and book offers. This was a side of Harold that I never knew, because in West Natick at that time, the guys that we hung with knew only two things, cars and girls. Books ???   Are you kidding me ???

 

Well, he began to tell me about the books he ordered and then he showed me the books he had in his own room. He went from book to book and explained the plot of each book and his passion for reading and books were so apparent in his enthusiasm that I became excited listening to him. That day he opened a whole new page for me. I remember that I asked him if it were possible for me to get a package of books every month too. It sure was and he explained how. Well, I went home and told my parents and they could not believe that I wanted to buy books. They enrolled me in the Book of the Month club that very week.

 

From that day on, I have been a passionate reader and right now I have cards from 5 different libraries.

 

As you know I became an elementary school teacher and I remained in the class room for 40 plus years. Well, one of the things that I did every year was to have a period of time, daily, when I called my class together. I would sit in my chair with a pile of books and picture books surrounding me and I would talk to my kids about the books, and tell them just enough about the plots  to  challenge them to read the books themselves. Then I would read to them and finally dismiss them to read by themselves. Private reading became even more important than lunch for my class. And every year, I began the first day of private reading with my story about the boy, Harold Roey who showed me the joy of reading and that was why we will have private reading every day of our school year. My class always loved books and reading. Thank you Harold.

 

You drop a pebble in the water and you never know how far the ripples will go.

 

Irwin Fischer - Classmate