Roy Edward Lynn

Roy Edward Lynn of Fowlerville passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.  He was 74 years old.

Roy was born in Lansing, Michigan on March 5, 1949, to Robert and Vera Fay (Rhodes) Lynn.  He graduated from Fowlerville High School and made his career in the trucking industry before working his way up to Vice President of Sales at Morgan Auto Paint, and then eventually founding his own trucking company, Royel Transport.

Roy was an avid golfer and enjoyed riding motorcycles, particularly his Heritage Springer; he was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of motorcycling through the Swiss Alps.  He enjoyed spending many weekends among friends and family at Holiday Shores in Durand, where he was easy to spot tooling around the campground because of the bright yellow flames and shiny chrome wheels on his golf cart.  His family and friends are comforted knowing that he is once again enjoying his regularly scheduled tee time with his brother-in-law, Jerry.

Roy faced adversity with optimism and humor.  He loved to make people laugh, regardless of how tough the situation was. When asked what time he wanted to do something, his stock response was, “First thing in the morning, 11:00 am.”  When hospital staff came to his room asking if he was Roy Lynn, he responded, “It depends, does Roy owe you money?” 

In his retirement years, Roy enjoyed many breakfasts with friends and family at area restaurants, and as he told the various servers who became his friends too, each meal out was “the best meal I’ve ever had.”

One of the things Roy enjoyed most was bantering with his brother, Ralph.  They had a lifelong debate about which trucks were best, Chevy or Dodge, and when Roy had to use his Chevy truck to pull Ralph’s Dodge out of a snowbank, Roy refused to do it until someone brought a camera to take a picture.

Roy was an expert in finding the joy in life and not taking things too seriously, and he reveled in being the fun dad and grandpa/pappy.  It wasn’t uncommon for him to show up to Christmas with a ping pong table, a pinball machine, or some other outrageously fun item that was just as enjoyable for him as for the kids.  In his later years, he enjoyed acquiring classic cars and had just picked up his latest toy, a 1989 Jaguar convertible, the week before his passing.  He remained a kid at heart his entire life.

While Roy loved bantering with his family and friends, he had a heart of gold.  He was the best at remembering birthdays, and was usually the first to call and sing “Happy Birthday.”  Roy loved helping others and was known for his generosity to anyone in need, whether they were family, friends or a total stranger.  He was instrumental in setting up a program at Fowlerville Schools to help pay for delinquent school lunch accounts, so no child would go without eating.  He has helped friends pay for funeral expenses for their families, organized for wood to be delivered to pals, and purchased a handicapped scooter to be available if someone needed it.

Roy was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Dale and Ralph Lynn, his sister-in-law, Betsie Lynn and his brother-in-law, Jerry Scepka.

Roy is survived by his wife, Debbie Lynn, special friend, Carol Stowe, his daughters, Laura Lynn Canfield and Lisa Lynn, his granddaughters, Grace and Erin Canfield, his sisters, Joyce Scepka and Donna (Paul) Bauby, his sister-in-law, Janet Lynn, and many beloved nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews.  He (and his restaurant leftovers) will be sorely missed by his canine sidekick, Bennie.

Upon meeting Carol, Roy acquired a “Bonus Family!”  It started with her children, Gwen (Brian)  Baughman, Shelly Emrick, and Casey (Dan) Elliott, and soon after, included their children, Megan (Jordan); Doug (Maddison); Rylee (Bryan) and their son, Bradley; Max (Amanda) and their daughter, Sophia; and Chandler (Reagan). One thing is for sure, we received the larger side of that “Bonus!”

Roy will be remembered by family and friends at Herrmann Funeral Home with a visitation on Tuesday, April 11, from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm and Wednesday, April 12 from 10:00 am - 11:00 am with a funeral service to follow at 11:00 am.  Please bring your best stories of Roy to share during the funeral.

Following the funeral service, Roy will be interred at Greenwood Cemetery, with a luncheon to celebrate his life to follow at the Williamston Eagles Club.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Humane Society.