Roy A. Eck, 88, of Roanoke, passed away on Thursday, June 5, 2014 in Richmond, VA. He was born on August 5, 1925 in Lynbrook, NY to the late Roy A. and Helen Bothwell Eck.

Roy’s interest in understanding how his own mind worked led him to receiving his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from The University of North Carolina. He would eventually spend 45 years of dedicated care and service to our veterans at the Salem Veterans Administration Hospital. It was while interning at the Salem V.A. that he would meet the love of his life, Carolyn Keith. They were married for 58 loving years prior to her death in 2010.

Roy led by example for the big things he taught and lived by; kindness, patience and respect for human dignity, as well as the small things such as, doing the dishes, hugging your spouse, talking with friends and family, and making time to laugh!

Following his retirement Roy became a huge fan of NPR, or National Public Radio.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Don and Dick Eck. Family remaining to cherish his memory includes his son, Mike Eck and wife, Martha Keener of Abingdon, MD; daughter, Mindy Nolte and husband , Paul of New Kent, VA; brothers, Bob Eck and wife, Ellen of Venice, FL, and Tom Eck and wife, Bam of Cleveland, OH; three granddaughters, Hanna, Claire and Lindsay. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

Funeral services to honor Roy’s life will be conducted on Monday, June 9, 2014 at 11 a.m. in the chapel of John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home in Salem. The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service. Flowers will be acceptepted or donation may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 125 W. Main Street, Salem, VA 24153.

An online guestbook is available by visiting www.johnmoakey.com.