Roy Jr. was born September 10, 1929, to Roy and Ada Cates. He was born on a farm northeast of Cement.
He went to a small country school named Prairie View. Roy and his sisters, Gwen and Mary Frances, rode to school on a horse. Later, they went to school in Cement.
Roy loved to play baseball, but more than that; he loved to play the guitar and sing. He was a member of Mr. Northcutt's Sea Scouts. He was well known around Cement for drawing a certain cat. He graduated from Cement High in 1949.
Roy was 18 years old when he met a beautiful 14-year-old girl at a box supper. He told a friend that, that was the girl he was going to marry. The girl was Minnie Evelyn Holmes. She was born July 1, 1934, north of Cement, at the home of her grandparents, Ben and Lou White. Her parents were Lloyd and Ruby Holmes. She went to school in Anadarko and Cyril. Minnie Evelyn and Roy married July 16, 1950. They lived in Cement until they bought a farm northeast of town from Roy's grandparents, Sam and Mary Cates.
Roy worked for Mobil Oil Company and he and Minnie farmed and raised cattle.
Roy and Minnie had four children: Sandra, Deborah, Mike and Pam. Sandra is married to Roy Cornwell and they live on a farm south of Fletcher. Deborah married Mickey Jackson. They live between Cyril and Cement. They have three children: Deadra, Jamie and Sean. They also have three grandchildren. Mike lives in Cement and has four children: Jessica, Mindy and twins, Roy and Clifford. Cliff died when he was eight years old. Mike also has two grandchildren. Pam moved into her parents' home when they passed away. Pam had two children. Quinn and Dana. Dana was killed in a car accident July 14, 1996.
She was 16 years old.
Roy and Minnie didn't live long lives, but they enjoyed their lives. They had their parents, their sisters and brothers and their children close by in their later years. They got to go fishing and camping and to go on trips with her sister, Gayla and her husband Ollen Hunter. They had lots of good neighbors and friend. They loved to watch the Cement kids play basketball. Cement meant so much to them. They loved the Lord and were bless in so many ways.
Roy passed away August 4, 1994 and Minnie Evelyn passed away ten months later on June 25, 1995.
Submitted by Sandra Cornwell, daughter.
