Roy Lives

Today is Memorial Day, May 25, 2020. It’s fitting that I begin this story of my father’s life on this day. 

I have researched much about him and have written much of him over many years. I have tried to document everything that I have discovered about him, even though I was very limited in talking to people who knew him.  

Most of what I was to discover about Dad was in his foot locker containing all that remained of his possessions.  This foot locker contained all his remaining military and personal items that my mother had.  

I never have been able to learn everything I wanted to know about him.  Mom was too devastated after his death and would not talk about Dad.  I was too ignorant to ask the right questions when time passed, so the questions were not asked or answered.  

I am the last of his family.  My brother and sister are gone, as well as most of those who might remember him.  His legacy, as I try to detail here, had a great influence on me, even if he died when I was only 6 years old.  Now, I am 81 years old.  I guess, and I will be honest, I have always hero-worshipped him and still get emotional when discussing what I do know of Dad.

—Victor Bowman Flatt