Roma Elizabeth Black Royal

The funeral service for Roma Royal will be on Saturday, January 24, 2009, at 9:30 am in the Lompoc Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1312 West Prune Avenue in Lompoc. Pishop Douglas will preside. Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral service.

Roma passed away unexpectedly January 17, 2009. She was born February 21, 1925, the tenth and youngest child of Martin and Lizzie Black, in Grace, Idaho. Roma moved with her family to Little Valley, Oregon in about 1930. She was raised during the Great Depression and experienced hardship and poverty, yet had happy memories of her life with her family in Little Valley. She graduated from Nyssa High School, then moved to Utah where she attended Weber College. She later attended LDS Business College where she learned accounting and became proficient in short hand.


In about 1952 she moved to Los Angeles where she met her husband, Duane Royal. They were married September 29, 1954, and together they raised three children.

She was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings including Relief Society President. She and Duane served a full time mission in Greece in 1982-1984, then later served Church service missions at the LDS Los Angeles Temple.


Roma loved music from an early age and one of the happiest days of her early life was when her family acquired a piano. She learned many years later that the piano was obtained at great sacrifice by trading a cow. Her family could only afford one piano lesson, after which she taught herself. She was Church pianist and organist for many years, and playing the piano and keyboard remained a source of joy for her until the end of her life.


Roma obtained her private pilot's license in 1986. She also spent about 20 years previous to that as co-pilot to her husband Duane, and they took many memorable cross-country trips with their children in small, single engine aircraft.


She will be remembered as a devoted and loving wife, mother and grandmother, and for her optimistic, fun-loving, and cheerful disposition. Roma was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers George, Cliff, Delbert, Rulen, and Bob; her sisters Clara, Rachel, and Thelma, and her husband Duane. She is survived by her brother Floyd Black (wife Fern); brother-in-law Lowell Royal (wife Eileen); many dear nephews and nieces; sons Gary Royal (wife Patty), and Brad Royal (wife Ronda); daughter Debra Newbold (husband Brent); grandchildren Kaylene (husband Bryant), Greg (wife Andrea), Daryl (wife Erin), Bryce, Lisa, Carl, Alison, Blake, Christy, Amy, Camille, Cherise and Kevin; and great-grandson Carter.