Roy Lee Towell

Roy Lee Towell passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 19, 2025, surrounded by all three of his children. True to form, he kept his sense of humor until the very end. 

Roy was born on March 11, 1948, in Litchfield, Illinois. Roy proudly served in the U.S. Navy, after graduating from Litchfield High School in the Class of 1966. He later attended Ranken Technical College, training in plumbing—a career that took him on adventures far and wide, from the Marshall Islands to Puerto Rico. But no matter how far he roamed, his heart was always with his family. 

He was preceded in death by his parents , Kenneth and Gladys Towell, and his brother, David Towell. He is survived by his sisters: Pat Morgan, Carol Blankenship, Margie Lamb, Kathy Robin Hering and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his beloved children: Jana (Roy) Wade, Diane (Bill) Taylor, and Austin (Jeanne) Towell. His five grandchildren—Ethan Richards, Will and Wyatt Taylor, Marcus and Dathan Towell—he was incredibly proud of each of them and lived vicariously through their lives. He was a devoted and tender-hearted cat dad to Honey (2011-2025) and Luckey (2025-). 

Roy had a personality all his own: private, reflective, and loyal. He was known for his dry wit, his quick comebacks, and a deep sense of wisdom. His classic sayings—like “Colder than a well digger’s butt”, “Finer than frog hair” and “Well, hell’s bells”—will forever echo in the memories of those who knew and loved him. He could tell a story like no one else. You knew to brew a pot of coffee and get comfortable because you were about to be entertained. Some of his greatest hits include Piggy and the Apple, The Circus Crash on Monkey Lane, F*c* You Clown and countless ghost stories told while parked in cemeteries at night. He had a gift for making the mundane feel magical, and the spooky feel hilarious. 

Growing up, Roy enjoyed playing basketball with his brother and friends. He loved baseball and Mickey Mantle. As a boy, he even taught his sister how to tie her shoes so she could go to kindergarten – and doing the same for his own children allowing them to walk with confidence and not trip over their shoelaces. As adults, we knew we could always count on him to lend an ear when we needed it. There’s so much more we could say—but, as Dad would put it, “That would go over like a fart in a whirlwind.” So we’ll just say this: he made us laugh, he made us think, and he made us better. We will miss him dearly.

 A private family memorial will be held at a later date.

Arrangements by Arkansas Cremation, 10515 W Markham St, Suite B1, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205. If you would like to leave a message of condolence to the family, you may do so using the Guestbook section.

www.arkansascremation.com