S. Roy Simar

Sylvester Roy "S. Roy" Simar, 77, of Orange, died Sunday, December 27, 2009, at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont.

Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. A Wake and Rosary will begin at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday and will be led by Deacon Edward Blankenstein, a close childhood friend of Roy's and Deacon Melvin Payne of St. Mary Church.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at St. Mary Catholic Church in Orange. The Celebrant will be Reverend Joseph P. Daleo, pastor of St. Mary Church, whom S. Roy worked closely with for 12 years. Con-celebrants will be Reverend Thomas Phelan, pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Orange and Reverend Neil Arce, pastor of Our Lady of Light Church in Anahuac.

S. Roy was born in Orange on January 3, 1932, the son of Sylvester C. "Squinn" Simar and Ophelia Gallien Simar Strack.

S. Roy graduated from St. Mary High School in Orange in 1949. His was the first graduating class of St. MarySchool.

His bookkeeping training began with his first job at age 17, with Harms Smaihall Shipyard. Ed Godwin was his mentor.

S. Roy retired from the Orange County Auditor's Office and for the last 18 years was a bookkeeper for St. Mary Church in Orange. This was more that a job to S. Roy, it was his passion, his hobby and his ministry.

S. Roy was United States Army Veteran of the Korean War.

He was a member of Orange Council #1680, joining when he was 18 and remaining active for those 60 years. He was a former Grand Knight and for many years, the financial secretary, again using his talent for numbers.

He was also a member of Father George Berberich Assembly #1105, 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. He loved to Quote what he learned as a new member of the KC's. First God, then family, then service. His life was spent keeping that balance. He led his family by example – not words.

S. Roy is survived by his childhood sweetheart and wife of 58 years, Wanda Donaldson Simar of Orange; children, Daniel Roy Simar and his wife, Cheryl, of Baton Rouge, La., Mary Diane Vaughan and husband, Chris, of Missouri City, Tx, Julie Marie Patronella and husband, Sam, of Orange; twin brother, Ray Simar; brother, Bill Simar; sisters, Sylvia Mires and Peggy Rashall, all of Orange.

Also surviving are his grandchildren, Laney Simar Sanders and her husband, Judson, of Baton Rouge, Sabrina Patronella Allbritton and her husband, Mark, Marsi Patronella Ackerman and her husband, Louis, Samantha Patronella and Michael Roy Patronella, all of Orange, and Alex Vaughan of Missouri City, Tx.

S. Roy is also survived by his great grandchildren, Blake and Allie Jo Allbritton and Rustyn Ackerman and was looking forward to the birth of his fourth great grandchild, Baby Sanders, due in March 2010.

There are three special ladies who are like daughters to S. Roy and they also survive. They are Sid Lofton, Marcella Vaughan and Margaret Vaughan.

Serving as pallbearers will S. Roy's nephews, Dennis Simar, Jospeh Mires, Richard Rashall, Martin Rashall, Mark Simar, Lowell Nance and his first cousin, Ronald Peveto.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the S. Roy Simar Knights of Columbus #1680 Scholarship Fund, c/o Felix Anderson, 554 S. Naquin, Orange, Texas 77630.