Obituary: Nyholm, Roy H.
NYHOLM,
Roy H.
(1915-2016)
Having served God’s purpose in his generation, Roy H. Nyholm passed peacefully into the Father’s hands on March 31, 2016 at the age of 100.
In 2014, he was preceded in death by Marie, his dear wife and life partner of 72 years.
He is survived by two daughters, Lorilee Paget and Linda (Robert) Gunter, four grandchildren, Dene (Allan) Joubert, Jeremy (Carrie) Paget, Christian (Julie) Gunter, Heidi (Tim) Stafford, and ten wonderful great-grandchildren: Lily and Nadine Joubert; Jace and Hadley Paget; Emma and Marianna Gunter; and Aiden, Kaisa, Eliott and Grayson Roy Stafford.
Roy prayed for all of his family by name on his knees every night until age 97.
Roy was born to Alex and Jennie Nyholm, immigrant Swedish parents in Portland, Oregon on October 13, 1915.
He lost his only brother at age 7 to diphtheria.
Due to difficult financial conditions, Roy began working nightly after school at age 11 as a grocery delivery boy to supplement the family income.
That pattern of hard work continued throughout his adult life.
Raised in a Salvation Army home, he mastered the euphonium to play in the local Salvation Army band.
Roy was an enthusiastic song leader in the churches he and Marie attended.
Roy was also a born salesman, and as a young man sold insurance until he was drafted into the army, serving in the latter part of WW II until his honorable discharge in1945.
The “salesman met the farmer’s daughter,” Marie Anderson, in October of 1941, and they were married on January 31, 1942 after a four-month courtship!
By marrying Marie, Roy also joined the Early Dawn Dairy family started by Marie’s parents, Harold and Jessie Anderson.
Roy managed the dairy’s sales and distribution divisions for decades and then developed ice creamery stores in Spokane and Bellevue, Washington and Kalispell, Montana.
During his business career, Roy served a term as president of the Washington State Dairy Council, the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Spokane March of Dimes and the Central Valley High School PTA.
Beyond their family, the dairy, and their community, Roy and Marie’s life always centered on serving their Savior Jesus Christ.
Roy served as Elder at the Fourth Memorial Church in Spokane for 27 years and then as Elder at the Valley Fourth Memorial Church for 30 years.
He also served as a member of the Moody Bible Institute Board of Trustees in Chicago for 30 years.
He and Marie founded and led Northwest Teen Jamboree, an annual Christian youth event, for 27 years.
Roy also served as a member of the board of Spokane Youth for Christ for 10 years.
Beginning in 2003, Roy and Marie lived at the Rockwood South Hill Retirement Community.
Roy loved everyone, and everyone loved him!
Roy Nyholm will be remembered by all who knew him as a man with complete faith in God’s plan for his life, constant in prayer, committed to God’s Word and the church, devoted to his wife Marie and their children, generous to God’s work and to the needs of others, working with excellence in everything he did - and never with any complaint or self-concern.
As his family, we can witness to his consistent walk with God all the way home.
Truly “…the righteous will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish…They will still bear fruit in old age… proclaiming, ‘The LORD is upright; He is my rock’.”
Psalm 92:12-15
The memorial service will be at 3:00pm on Monday, April 18, 2016.
It will be held at the Summit Event Center at Rockwood Manor, 2903 E. 25th Ave, Spokane, WA, 99223.
Memorial gifts can be sent to Union Gospel Mission or South Hill Bible Church.