Roy Alonzo Marrs (1924 – 2016)

Marrs, Roy 2013 (1)Roy Marrs (91) died quietly October 8, 2016, in Carmichael, California, after many months in hospice care. A memorial service will be held January 7, 2017, in Lodi, California, where he lived for nearly 30 years.

Roy was born November 28, 1924, near Dale, Oklahoma, to Mitchell and Vida (Kerns) Marrs and was the last of three children in that marriage. His oldest sister, Pearl (Leonard), preceded him in death. His other sister, Wilma Ling (Lavern), lives in Meridian, Idaho.

Like his father and grandfather, Thomas Jefferson (“T J”) Marrs, Roy was a minister of the gospel of Christ and served in the Church of God (Seventh Day) for 65 years.

For many years, Roy served bi-vocationally, teaching in the public school system in Hawthorne until his retirement in 1986 after 27 years at Washington Elementary School.

Roy was a medic in World War II, largely in Liege, Belgium. After the war, he married Claudia Ruth Whitford on February 17, 1946, and they had four children: Lucille Joy Dralle (Neal), Lawrence Mitchell, John Harold (Judy), and James Roy (Phylis). Claudia preceded Roy in death July 6, 1957. He subsequently married Alvina (Miller) Stacy, who brought to the marriage Roy’s stepson, Loren Gene Stacy (Karen).

The family was not yet complete, however: Roy and Alvina’s “adopted” children, Leo Lebitty (Karen) and Laura (Loomis) Tennant (Bond), joined the ranks. Numerous others felt the kinship of family, claiming this couple as their spiritual parents and grandparents. Alvina passed away November 18, 2012.

Roy loved to study God’s Word, alone or with (and for) others. He enjoyed writing about his findings in correspondence, books, or magazines. He was editor of the Bible Advocate magazine for five years. In addition, Roy served a stint as president of the North American Ministerial Council and served on the national board of directors, along with numerous other assignments.

Though he was teacher at and director of Midwest Bible College for three years and pastor for many more, Roy felt his strong calling in studying and writing. He possessed strong beliefs but was quick to say that he might disagree with himself tomorrow as a result of further study and discussion.

Roy believed that one could do what he set his mind to doing. Evidence of this is the fact that though he had been unable to go to a day of high school, he challenged himself and passed entrance exams for college. He was working on a doctorate when his first wife, Claudia, died, ending his pursuit of that program. For his master’s degree a foreign language was required, so he taught himself enough Spanish to pass equivalency exams, reading and studying the Bible and numerous history texts in that language.

In addition to his sister Wilma, children, and stepson, Roy is survived by ten grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren, with two more on the way.

His children request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to suitable Christ-honoring ministries.

 

Additional Reading

The Heart of  the Matter

The sign beneath the broken clock reads: Don’t blame the hand — the problem is much deeper. Likewise, the brokenness we lament in today’s world

Read More »

Rayvin “Ray” Straub

1931 – 2023 Rayvin Lester Straub (91) was born December 6, 1931, to Emanuel Straub and Albina Weller Straub on a farm near Eureka, South

Read More »

Grace

© utah778 | istockphoto.com Some people see God in a sunset. Others, in the eyes of a child. Me? I see God in a ’98

Read More »

The Goodness of Judgment

When we consider what the Bible clearly shows regarding God’s promised judgment on sin and unrepentant humans, it is easy to see only the darker

Read More »