Roy Souders
May 1, 1930 — July 21, 2011
VAN WERT, Ohio - Roy Souders, Jr., 81, Van Wert, died at 9:35 a.m. Thursday, July 21, 2011, at Van Wert Inpatient Hospice Center.
He was born May 1, 1930, in Pocasset, Okla., to the late Fannie F. (Shipp) Souders and Roy A. Souders. His wife, Eleanor M. (Branch) Souders, survives of Van Wert. They were married May 28, 1955.
Other survivors include a daughter: Becky (Rick) Craft of Paulding, Ohio; two brothers: Robert E. (Marjorie) Souders of Ft. Worth, Texas, and Richard W. (Nancy) Souders of Pocasset, Okla.; a sister: Oleta F. Salek of Midwest City, Okla., and three grandchildren: Jason R. Craft, Lauren R. Craft and Amanda G. Craft.
He was preceded in death by a child: Neal B. Souders.
Mr. Souders spent thirty five years in the property and liability insurance industry. He was a member of the professional Society of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters, CPCU. In 1991 he received a national honor by the Society when he was selected a "Standard Setter" for his contributions to the insurance industry and his community. The last twenty six years of his career was spent as an employee of The Central Insurance Companies of Van Wert, Ohio. He retired in 1992 as Senior Vice President- Operations.
Mr. Souders was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, serving in many capacities. He was founder of the Van Wert Chapter of Compassionate Friends and served as leader for over ten years, then three years as Northwest Ohio Regional Coordinator. He served as a member of the Board of Directors for the YMCA and the Wassenberg Art Center, and was a Trustee for the Van Wert County Hospital. He was a recipient of the Ray Miller Award from the Van Wert Chamber of Commerce and a former member of the Van Wert Rotary Club. He was a veteran of the United States Navy serving in the Korean War. In 1957 he graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, 2011, at First United Methodist Church, Van Wert. The Revs. Gus Christo-Baker and Paul Miller will officiate. Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert.
The family will receive friends after the service.
Preferred memorials are First United Methodist Church or Van Wert Inpatient Hospice Center.