Royce Van Dalsem

Royce Irene Haydon Van Dalsem, 92, of Perryville, Arkansas, died Wednesday, December 23, 2009. Born in Rocky Gap (Faulkner County), Arkansas, January 30, 1917 to the late Elsie Maude Thompson Haydon and Austin Roy Haydon. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Paul Van Dalsem, her sister, Mildred Haydon Eagle, brother, Robert E. Haydon, and a grandson, David Carter Adams. Royce graduated from Perry High School and Central College in Conway. She taught school at Crossroads in Pulaski County before her marriage. She and her husband owned and operated the Perry County News, Perry County Telephone Company, Perry County Oil Company, Petit Jean Country Headlight, and farming and other business interests in Perry County. She also enjoyed her antique business, Royce's Relics. She served the Perryville United Methodist Church in many capacities including trustee, Sunday school teacher, and United Methodist Women chairperson. She was church organist for many years and provided altar flowers each Sunday from her own gardens and/or woodlands. In her later years she was instrumental in initiating and carrying out a breakfast ministry for the youth of the church and community. The UMW awarded her a lifetime Membership. She participated in numerous activities supporting Perry County. She served as president of the PTA, was Grand Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, and for several years provided an anonymous scholarship to a graduating senior at Perryville High School. Royce had a love, appreciation and enthusiasm for the natural world, whether feeding wildlife, studying geology, hiking in the woods, or planting and nurturing flowers. She was an artist as well as a talented seamstress, completing fine embroidery work, crocheting afghans and making quilts for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was an avid reader and enjoyed crossword puzzles and word games. She is survived by two daughters and a son and their families; Maurine Tarvin and husband Larry of Little Rock, Carol Allen and husband Robert of Perryville, and William Paul Van Dalsem, Jr. of Houston; grandchildren include Keith Allen Tarvin and wife, Mary of Vermillion, Ohio; Michael Scott Tarvin and wife Debbie of Little Rock; Nathan Paul Adams and wife Kate of McKinney, Texas; David Carter Adams' wife Ashley of Austin, Texas; Nancy Elizabeth Van Dalsem of Perryville, and William Pyke Van Dalsem of Gulfport, Mississippi; five great-grandchildren, Haydon Scott Tarvin and Collin Michael Tarvin of Little Rock, Sara Katherine Adams and Abigail Elizabeth Adams of McKinney, Texas, and Lucas Sullivan Belk of Perryville; one sister, Evelyn Haydon Owen of Conway, and nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 28, 2009 at Perryville United Methodist Church. Visitation will be 12:30-2:00 p.m. prior to the service at the Church. Interment will follow at Ragsdale Cemetery by Harris Funeral Home of Morrilton. Memorials may be made to the Perryville United Methodist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 645, Perryville, Arkansas 72126, or to the charity of one's choice.

Royce Van Dalsem

January 30, 1917 - December 23, 2009