Roy Husband Jr.

Roy A. Husband Jr., 89, of Fruitland passed away peacefully at his home at 1:20 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016.

He was born to the late Roy A. Husband Sr. and Edith Augusta (nee Seiberg) on Aug. 17, 1927, in Percy, Illinois. In 1948, he married Mary Ellen Brown, with whom he had six children. He then married Margaret Watson on May 19, 1969.

Roy worked for Arkansas Best Freight Systems for 34 years, first out of their St. Louis terminal as an over-the-road driver and union steward and then as the terminal manager at their locations in Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Indiana and New York. Later in his career, he served as an instructor and manager of ABF's driving training school in southern Missouri.

Roy proudly served in the South Pacific with the U.S. Navy during World War II as a member of the construction battalion forces, "Seabees." He was initially part of the Okinawa invasion force and served on Guam and Saipan in the Mariana Islands. Roy was an avid researcher and a gatherer of stories of family genealogy and military history.

Roy is survived by his wife, Margaret, of 47 years; his children, Lynn (John) Benigno, (Arianna) Sue Ellen Husband, Elizabeth Jane (Jim) King, Diane Marie (Bob) McAlister and Joseph Allen Husband; his brother, Claude, and sister-in-law, Laura Husband; 13 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews.

Roy was preceded in death by his parents and a daughter, Jackie Caroline Dunn.

Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Wilson's Funeral Home in Steeleville, Illinois.

Visitation immediately precedes the funeral service at 9 a.m.

Interment will follow at Mount Summit Cemetery in Rockwood, Illinois.

Memorial contributions may be made to Saint Francis Hospice Services in Cape Girardeau.