Ruth J Roye

Ruth Jeanette (Fraser) Roye was born January 14, 1932, in Salem, Oklahoma, to Lemuel Edward Fraser and Mary Viola “Ola” (Hurst-McCormack) Fraser; she departed this world on July 10, 2021, in Stigler, Oklahoma. Ruth was raised in the towns of Salem, Dustin, and Henryetta, Oklahoma. At about the age of sixteen, Ruth was working as a waitress in a small café in Henryetta, it was there that she met her future husband Charles D. Roye. At that time Charles and his father Henry Roye were working in the coal mines at Henryetta. Charles and Ruth were married 30 October 1948 in Durant, Oklahoma, and set up housekeeping near Henry and Pearl in the Rose Hill Community. The birth of their first child, a daughter, Sharon Kay Roye, was followed by her unexpected and tragic death, aged two months. Charles and Ruth had four other children: Chuck, Tina, Marty, and Kathy. Ruth was a member of the Rose Hill Freewill Baptist Church and she and her family attended church there for many years. She was first and foremost, a mother, who devoted long days and sometimes nights to provide the best life for her family. When her children were young, Ruth found an outlet for her creativity by designing and sewing clothing for her children and herself. Each spring and fall, she studied the current Sears Catalog to see what was in fashion, then altered off-the-rack patterns to reflect them. She was clever at adapting patterns to fit the wearer, and reveled in putting together outfits for her children. Ruth savored the time she spent with other women of the Rose Hill community, she attended pie suppers and other group gatherings, but it was at the quilting bees that her interest was picqued as the ladies exchanged ideas, techniques, quilt patterns, and (gasp!) gossip. Over the years Ruth pieced and hand quilted many quilts, combining her unique sense of color and tiny but elegant hand-stitches to craft beautiful heirlooms for her family. Around 1963 the Roye family purchased two coin-operated laundromats in Stigler: the Speed Queen, and the Stigler Laundromat, in which they installed the first coin-operated dry-cleaning machine in Stigler, and they had a third laundry in Keota. The family moved from the ranch into Stigler to be closer to their businesses. About 1971 they sold the laundry business, and created Roye Realty & Developing, Inc., and Ruth was VP of their new company and served as bookkeeper for several years. After Ruth and Charles divorced in 1975, she moved to Tulsa and became manager of the Woman's World shop in Woodland Hills Mall for a time. She became interested in drawing and painting, took a class in how to draw with pastels, and art became a favorite pastime. She took ballroom dance lessons while in Tulsa, and won some awards in dance competitions. In the early 1980s Ruth returned to Stigler in order to run the movie theaters which belonged to her at the time. The Time Theatre and Meadow Drive-In were both closed for business in about 1984, ending an era. In 1995 Ruth and Tina donated the Time Theatre building to the City of Stigler, in hopes that the city could preserve the historic structure. Ruth built a new home in the 1990s: she hired carpenters, plumbers, and etc., and oversaw the job daily. She designed flower beds and walkways which covered the entire front lawn; she, Kathy, and Tina hauled rocks for the flower beds and gravel for the walkways to make the design a reality. Later, knee problems caused her to give up her garden paradise. From 2007 to 2015 she painted nearly every day. A room in her home served as her studio, and she found joy and satisfaction as she painted by the north light that streamed through her windows. She painted many canvasses including landscapes, still life studies, animal studies, portraits, and other subjects. Sometimes a lucky person in the family received the gift of an oil painting for Christmas. What a joy! Ruth was a creative and talented person who liked to paint, quilt, sew, and crochet, among other things. She was generous with her handiwork, and made many fancy costumes, dresses, dolls, and stuffed toys, for kids, grandkids, and great-grands. She was fearless and would tackle just about any sewing challenge thrown at her. After she got a computer with internet, she became a day trader. She loved her kids, grandkids, and great-grands and received amazing joy from the littles when they came to visit. When the pandemic of Covid19 hit hard in March of 2020, her first thought was concern for her family’s health. Masks were commercially unavailable at the very beginning, so she sewed masks for the family: she made about 60 masks to give away. Her last and greatest wish was that her kids and grandkids would still come together as a family for Sunday dinners and holidays after her passing, so she will still be the glue that holds our family together, and still be the boss. We miss our amazing Mom and Nanny, but we are comforted by the knowledge that she awaits us in her heavenly home. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents: Lemuel and Ola Fraser; 4 sisters: Delia “Dean” M. Melton, Hazel L. Carson, Grace Leona Hurst, Mary Algene “Allie” Owens; 3 brothers: Fred A. Fraser, George Fraser Sr., and Edward Eugene Fraser; Former husband and father of her children: Charles D. Roye; 2 daughters: Sharon Kay Roye, Marlita Joye “Marty” Roye; great-great-grandson: Brantley Allison; and innumerable honored ancestors and relatives. Ruth is survived by:Son Charles H. “Chuck” Roye and wife Pat (Hamlin) Roye of Rose Hill; Daughter Katina Roye Peevyhouse and husband Lonnie Peevyhouse of Stigler; Daughter Kathy Roye, of Stigler; Grandchildren: David Roye, Chad Roye, Kimarie Roye of Stigler, Jessica Roye, twins Alyssa Roye and Kayla Roye of Rose Hill; Holly Wood of Stigler; Kelly Floyd of Krebs; Alexis Heath and companion Rodney Bibee, Casey Roye, and Shayna (Roye) Malnar, all of Stigler; Great-grandchildren: Jacob Allison and wife Maddison of Poteau; Adrianna Roye and Morgan Dill, of Stigler; Jaiden Crawford of Pawhuska; Riley Calhoun and Jaxon Calhoun, of Stigler; Hayley Floyd of Krebs; Ashton (Ramsey) Casinger and husband Trent Casinger, of Stigler; Cannon Reasnor and Caston Reasnor, of Stigler; Umika Malnar and Isabel Harvie, of Stigler; Great-great-grandchildren: Aurora Allison of Poteau; Ezra Casinger and Emilee Casinger, of Stigler; Ruth is also survived by niece Fleeda Hurst Hall of Dallas, Texas, numerous other nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, and a wealth of friends. Step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren: Julie Zwirtz and husband Robin; Sherrie Hamilton and husband Warren of Lequire; Kimberly Peevyhouse of Stigler; Loretta Childers and husband Kyle of McCloud; Travis Peevyhouse and wife Danielle of Stigler; Step-great-grandchildren: Xavier Zwirtz and wife Sarah; Alexander Zwirtz; Julian, Lucien, Lola, Maxim, Ivory, and Gaius Zwirtz; Jerrod Long and wife Rainy, children Madi and Clay; Callie Long; Wyatt and Valynn Hamilton; Dylan Clayton and wife Hallie, daughter Kylie; Mikayla Hiser, daughter Macey and son Drew; Faith and Blair Apple; Kole Childers; Kaydence and Maverick Peevyhouse. Funeral service for Ruth J. Roye will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the King and Shearwood chapel. Burial will be at Sans Bois Cemetery following the service. Pallbearers are Jaxon Calhoun, Kelly Floyd, Trent Casinger, Rodney Bibee, Travis Peevyhouse, Dylan Clayton, Jerrod Long, and Kyle Childers. Honorary pallbearers are Kole Childers, Lonnie Peevyhouse, Warren Hamilton, and Flynn Semmerling. Services are provided by King and Shearwood Funeral Home of Stigler.

Ruth J Roye

January 14, 1932 - July 10, 2021