Wilner Royce

Wilner Royce, of Fayetteville, Ark., was born in Decatur, Ala., on July 17, 1932, the third of six children. Although she lived to be 90, at birth she was tiny and was not expected to survive. Because, as a youngster, she was usually the short person in a group of family and friends, her nickname was "Peewee" throughout her childhood. She married Charles C. "Chuck" Royce in 1952, and they remained married until his death in 1979. Between 1952 and 1960, they moved to Memphis, Tenn.; Springdale, Ark.; Thomasville, Ga.; Dallas, Texas; and back to Springdale, where they raised three children. Wilner was smart, with a strong personality and a quick sense of humor. She appreciated and listened to people and enjoyed engaging with them. While her children were young, her people skills helped her survive as a Cub Scout den mother, PTA member, band parent, Sunday school kindergarten teacher, and the many other duties that parents took on to help raise their families. When her children were older, she joined the northwest Arkansas workforce, working for several years as a successful department store catalog department manager in Fayetteville. In her later years she was very active in support group work in Fayetteville and Springdale. Wilner is survived by her three children, Phil Royce (June) of Springfield, Va., Kathy Royce of Fayetteville, and Judy Royce of Fayetteville; her sister, Edna Smith of Atlanta, Ga.; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind two people who were very important to her, Carol Steiner of Nashville, Tenn., Chuck's daughter by a previous marriage; and Chris Neil, surviving son of her special friends from her long time in Springdale, Del and Bob Neil. A graveside service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, January 5, at Fayetteville National Cemetery. To place an online tribute, please visit www.bernafuneralhomes.com