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Roy Vance Bolyard, Jr., age 76, of Summerfield, NC, died November 13, 2017.

A service to celebrate the life of Roy will be held at 11 AM on Thursday, November 16, 2017 at Leaksville United Methodist Church in Eden with Reverend A. C. Brock officiating.  Interment will be held, with family, at 12 Noon on Wednesday, November 22 at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Greensboro.

Roy  adored his unique biological and blended family.  His family called him "Pot".  They are made of many family traditions, have different and exciting ways of thinking - are made up of creative, smart and curious people who are at the same time, fun love and fun living - competitive, athletic and always ready for new adventures.  They are deeply family oriented.  They accept diversity and difference and are cousins "but not".  They deeply love each other and tolerate wide ranges of acceptable behavior within the clan.  They respect family values and honesty.  They show kindness to others.  Respect and love of nature is in the family DNA.  The clan tries to be fair and compassionate to others while being loyal and completely trusting and trustworthy with one another.  The Bolyard, Boles, Roper and Finnie family made Roy's life a true joy to live.

Roy was born in Charleston, WV on September 18, 1941 to the late Roy Vance Bolyard and Edith Mathews Bolyard. He had two sisters, Rebecca Jo (deceased) and Elizabeth Ann of Durham.  Roy was an Eagle Scout and an officer in the WV Methodist Youth Fellowship.  He graduated WV Wesleyan College where he was senior class president.  He then earned two degrees from Duke University with emphasis in pastoral care and counseling.  While at Duke he spent a year at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.  He later completed a residency at the Marriage and Family Center at Texas Medical Center in Houston.  Roy was ordained as an Elder in the Methodist Church.  He was clinical director of the Clarksburg, WV Urban Parish Counseling Center and then moved to Greensboro where he eventually began the practice of marriage and family therapy and was a clinical member and an approved supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.  After his career as a therapist he became the pastor of Morehead United Methodist Church in Greensboro, where he served for six years before retirement.

Roy's advocations included hiking, camping and sailing.  He also enjoyed being a scoutmaster.  He was the charter commodore of Lake Townsend Yacht Club and was also commodore of High Rock Yacht Club. Roy enjoyed bareboat sailboat chartering and later enjoyed many trips on cruise ships.

In addition to his wife, Marge and son, Joe, the family includes Karen, Vance and Macy Bolyard; Russ, Lauren, Kirsten and James Boles; Roger, Kristen, Caroline and Anna Kate Roper; and Shelby and Kyle Finnie.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's Cancer Center, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC  27103.

Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.fairfuneralhome.com

At a recent Stonewall Jackson High School class reunion, I had time to walk through my old neighborhood in Charleston's West Side. Passing Roy's house on Grant Street, I was flooded with memories of our time together at Glenwood Elementary.

Roy and I had similar backgrounds, though he was more sports oriented while my interests lay in music. I well remember visiting him in his home and fondly remember his parents who were kind and welcoming.

We went on into ministry in the church, and shared an interest and skill in pastoral care. I moved to the West Coast while Roy stayed closer to home. He stayed with Methodism, while I became an Episcopalian.

You were a good friend, Roy, and I cherish the memory. May you rest in peace and rise in glory.

Someone in the family might tell me how and when Roy stopped being "Bucky." That's how I knew him on Charleston's West Side and I suspect that there is an appealing story on this.