March 15, 1933-October 11, 2017
Royce Catherine Black – 1991
Royce was born in San Antonio, Texas to parents Roy Allison Bullard and Eunice Catherine Walker Bullard on March 15, 1933. She attended Highland Park and Laura Steele Elementary Schools, Page Junior High School and Brackenridge High School, where she was a member of the Purple Jackets.
She met the love of her life, Arch Black, at Alto Frio Baptist Encampment in 1950. They married in February 1951 and recently celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary. Royce attended Draughon’s Business College after her marriage to Arch. They lived in Edgewood, Maryland while Arch served in the US Army. Royce and their first child, Jim, returned to Texas in 1952. Arch
Arch and Royce 1951
followed them in February of 1953, when he was discharged from the Army.
In 1961, Royce, Arch, and their three children moved to Odessa, Texas where they were active at Crescent Park Baptist Church. In 1968, a job promotion for Arch led their family to San Angelo, Texas, where she and Arch lived until 2017.
Royce lovingly raised her three children as a stay-at-home mom. She participated in many civic organizations over the years, including the Bankers’ Wives, San Angelo Symphony Guild, Fiesta Del Concho and Shannon Hospital Auxiliary. Royce also enjoyed traveling, playing tennis and meeting with her Emmaus group. She and Arch were founding members of Southland Baptist Church, where she served for a short time in the Stephen ministry. After her children were on their own, Royce worked as the Director of the Shannon Hospital Volunteer Services. Royce loved the times she spent entertaining friends and family. She loved cooking, and many of her family’s favorite traditions revolved around sharing wonderful meals together.
Royce and Arch lived together at Sagecrest Alzheimer’s Care Center from December 2015-January 2017 when they both moved to Kirkland, Washington. Royce lived at the Golden Spirit Adult Family Home in Kirkland. Many thanks to Gabriela Soldan, Rob Lee, Velma Villarama, Julia and Emma Lee, and to EvergreenHealth Hospice for their kind, patient, tender care for Mom during her time in Washington.
Royce is survived by her husband Arch of Kirkland, WA; son Jim (Gwen) Black of Centennial, CO; daughter Kathy (Erich) Bechtel of Odessa, TX; daughter Judy (Forrest) Thompson of Kirkland, WA; sister Sharon Edge Jenkins of Odessa, TX; nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren with another on the way. She also had numerous nieces and nephews that she loved.
Funeral services will be held at Crossroads Bible Church in Bellevue, WA at 2pm on October 21 with a graveside service at Acacia Funeral Home in Seattle, WA.
In lieu of flowers, please send your donations to:
- The Alzheimer’s Association: Click HERE
- Southland Baptist Church, San Angelo, Texas: HERE , or
- Shannon (Hospital) Annual Fund: HERE