Our family mourns the loss of Jerome A. Roy, who departed this life on Monday November 5, 2018, just a few weeks shy of his 84th birthday.
Jerry was born on November 20, 1934 in Greensburg, PA to Andel and Margaret Roy. He was raised in the community of Jeannette, PA, where he was surrounded by a host of relatives and extended family. It was through this collective guidance that Jerry learned the values of hard work, loyalty, love, generosity, and acceptance.
Jerry was a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army. He graduated from Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University) in 1956 with a degree in Civil Engineering. He developed and maintained lifelong friendships through his affiliation with Alpha Tau Omega (ATO), and he fostered the future success of promising students as the Chairman of the Dino Castelli scholarship fund.
In 1969, Jerry met his lifelong love. Over the years, this intrepid couple established homes in various locations in California, Pittsburgh, and Wilmington, NC. Together they built a home full of life and laughter, and fostered a love of the outdoors in their adventurous children.
Jerry enjoyed a 38 year career with H.H. Robertson, and finished his employment years with A.C. Dellovade. His career resulted in engineering projects that spanned the country. Much like the rivets and steel girders for those buildings, Jerry built similar scaffolding for his own family – bound together with the values of unconditional love, encouragement of dreams, and a healthy dose of realism.
He was an uncomplicated man, and a brilliant thinker. Many problems were tackled over kitchen table conversations. His home was always open to his many friends. He loved a perfect tee shot, hunting, and the excitement of setting the hook when a trout rose to hit his fly. He loved watching the success of his children, and celebrated their careers. He cherished his Italian heritage, Pittsburgh sports teams, and dinners with friends. He was rarely without a paperback novel in his hand, and we loved to see him on summer evenings, sitting on the back porch listening to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Jerry is survived by his wife Sandra (Sandie) A. Roy, his sons Tom (Hilda), Christopher (Ramona), Andy (Maureen), and daughter Julie (Steve). He is also survived by twelve grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
A celebration of life will take place at a later date in Pittsburgh, PA. Private burial.
Jerry took a strong interest and joy in the Friends School of Wilmington, where his daughter teaches and where his grandson attends. In a final gesture of building foundations for the future, Jerry would be honored by any contributions made in his memory to this school and their efforts to build a unified campus. Please direct memorials to, “Building Friends Fund” Friends School of Wilmington, 350 Peiffer Avenue, Wilmington, NC, 28409.
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