Don A. Royer

Don A. Royer, the son of Oscar and Lula (Marsh) Royer was born on December 23, 1929, in Cherokee, IA. His childhood years were spent in Cherokee, where he attended school and graduated from Wilson High School in 1948, and then attended the University of Iowa. After college, he joined Royer & Son Jewelry in 1951.

 On March 1, 1953, Don was united in marriage to Dorothy Escue. They were blessed with three children, Tom, Diane, and Dennis. In 1957, he attained Registered Jeweler of the American Gemological Institute. He retired from the business on December 31, 1999 after 48 years as partner, then owner of Royer & Son Jewelry.

 Don was very active in the Cherokee community. He was a 14 year member of the National Guard & Army Reserves, served on Cherokee City Council for 9 years, Cherokee School Board for 9 years, and served on the Sioux Valley Golf Tournament Committee since 1973 until it dissolved. He was a 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge, receiving his certificate in May of 2017. He was a member of the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce, the Memorial Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder and in the church choir from 1946 through 2013. Don enjoyed golf, scoring 3 holes-in-one in his career, the last one at the age of 83. He also played city league softball for many years- first with Speelmon’s team and then Miller Mac. He was an avid fisherman and devoted Yankee Baseball fan.

 On March 18, 2020, Don passed away at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center in Cherokee at the age of 90. He was preceded in death by his parents; one granddaughter, Sabrina Royer; sisters, Dorothy Jung, Jean Steffy, and Ruth Colbie; brothers-in-law, Bob Jung, Keith Steffy, Albert Escue, and Frank Escue.

 He will be lovingly remembered by Dorothy, his wife of 67 years, sons, Tom and his wife Joleen and their children, Kelly (Aaron) Lawson and Kevin, and Dennis and his wife Debbi, and their children, Michael (Kayla) and Alex; daughter, Diane McCue and her husband Monte and their daughter, Taylor; great-grandchildren, Oliver Logan Lawson, Coraline June Lawson, and Everly Parker Lawson; brother-in-law, Carl Colbie; and several nieces and nephews.

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