Vernon H. Roylance

RONAN — Vernon H. Roylance, 79, died Thursday; July 13, 2006, at his home in Charlo after a brief battle with cancer.

Vern was born May 4, 1927, at Inkom, Idaho, to Horace "Slim" and Minnie Roylance, the youngest of five children.

The family moved to Charlo in 1929. He spoke of the very hard farm work as a child, but had many happy memories of the good times with his brothers and sisters. He attended school in Charlo.

He worked many jobs as a young man, mostly in ranching in the Charlo area, Round Butte and Frenchtown. He had a brief stint driving a lumber truck. He enjoyed sports very much. As a young man he competed in the Mission Valley baseball leagues with his friends. He was also an accomplished bowler, winning many trophies, as well as being the Men's State Champion in 1961.

In later years he really enjoyed following all the events of the Charlo High School sports teams.

He married Doris Mae Steindorf on Nov. 20, 1949, at the Methodist Church in Charlo. Together they had seven children, Jerry, Robert, Michael, Richard, John, Kristy and Jim.

After the wedding he and Doris spent their first winter in Butte, where Vern worked in the mines. That work made him really want to get back to farming and ranching. They moved back to Charlo in the spring and started farming with his brother Albert. The family farm grew with his hard work, and the help of his children.

In later years he was proud of the few hundred head of Angus Simmental Cattle he raised with his sons Rob and John. Vern really enjoyed life and the entire Charlo community. Whenever you met him he always had a kind word and a smile.

Vern was preceded in death by his parents, brother Albert Roylance, sister Norma Nelson, sister Amy Cyr, infant son Michael and son Richard.

He is survived by his wife Doris at the family farm in Charlo; sister Violet Perry of Charlo; sons Jerry (Tommi) of Charlo, Rob (Dixie) of Charlo, John (Lisa) of Charlo: daughter Kristy Cordis (Gary) of Missoula; son, Jim of Charlo; 10 grandchildren, Ben, Jorah, Lindy, Angie, Heather, Gretchen, Adrian, Becky, Trisha, Jason, James and Jordan; 11 great-grandchildren and many, many friends.

Funeral services were held in the Charlo High School gym on July 17, followed by a brief graveside service at Mountain View Cemetery. A celebration of his life followed at the Charlo Senior Citizens Center.