MORTIMORE, Roy E. (1920-2012)

MORTIMORE

Posted By: Don Boucher (email)
Date: 6/10/2012 at 19:34:11

Obituary from The Des Moines Register newspaper, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa, USA on 6-10-2012:

Roy Eugene Mortimore, 91, of Des Moines, died Thursday, May 3, 2012, at West Ridge Care Center in Cedar Rapids, of natural causes.

A private family committal service was held in Des Moines, and a memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at 2 p.m. at Merle Hay Funeral Home, 4400 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines, Iowa 50310, with Masonic and military honors. The Reverend Jean McCarthy of St. Mark's Episcopal Church will officiate.

Survivors include his son Steven (Nancy), Swisher; daughter Vonda (George) Cummins, Charles City; daughter Joyce (Dennis) Rand, McKinney, Texas; grandchildren Jamie Toledo, Cedar Rapids; Brad Mortimore (Denise Kleppe), Mankato, Minnesota; DJ (Amy) Rand, Olathe, Kansas; Eric (Stacey) Rand, Overland Park, Kansas; David (Stephanie) Cummins, Des Moines; Aaron Cummins, Crystal Lake, Illinois; Rachel Cummins, Glendale, Arizona; Molly (Andy Hutchison) Cummins, Glendale, Arizona; great-grandchildren Andie Toledo; Tyler, Andrew, Anna, and Trey Rand; Emery and baby Rand; Nicholaus Cummins and Madalyn Hutchison; and sister Esma Graham of Des Moines. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Virginia.

Roy was born May 25, 1920, in Linden, Iowa, to Roy Dean Mortimore and Reba Roine Brown, and graduated from Lincoln High School in Des Moines.

After courting Virginia on his motorcycle, Roy married Virginia Steven in Des Moines on June 27, 1942, and had a wonderful pal for almost 60 years.

Roy served in the Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1945, serving in the Pacific Arena, and in the Reserves from 1946 to 1948. He was a flight engineer on a B 24 bomber, Heavy Bomb Group 27th Squadron, 7th Air Force.

Roy owned Mortimore Construction from 1945 to 1972 and retired from Seed and Grain Construction in 1983. Roy was a member of South Gate Masonic Lodge, having joined in 1951, Scottish Rite of Free Masonry, and ZaGaZig Shrine. He was a 51 year member of Lions. He was an active volunteer for the distribution of food and Christmas baskets for the South Side Community House for many years. Roy also volunteered with the Boy Scouts, Troop #40, from 1952 to 1963.

Roy was a gentleman and a man of his word, often doing business with a handshake. He loved the outdoors, gardening, and fishing, and for many years had a lake cabin both in Minnesota and Missouri. He and Virginia traveled extensively in the US, and also visited Swaziland, Australia/New Zealand, and Mexico. A wonderful family man, Roy loved nothing better than to have his children and their families around him.

Memorials may be directed to South Des Moines Lions Club, 635 Veterans Memorial Drive, Carlisle, IA 50047; Southgate Masonic Lodge, 1111 Randolph, Des Moines, IA 50315; or El Kahir Transportation Fund, 1400 Blairs Ferry Road NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.