Roy Madison Weaver, 91
Roy Madison Weaver was born in Bickleton, Wash., July 19, 1919. Roy passed away Oct. 16, 2010. It was sudden and unexpected. Roy grew up on a farm and at 19 decided he didn't want to be a farmer. In 1938 he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was stationed at MCRD, San Diego. In 1940 he volunteered to go to the Philippines for adventures in a foreign land. He was there in 1941 when WWII started. He was first sent to Bataan and then Corregidor where he was captured by the Japanese in May 1942.
Roy was taken to Bilibid Prison and Cabanatuan then loaded on the "Hell Ship" Totori Maru, Roy finally ended up in the POW camp in Mukden, Manchuria, where he resided as a "Guest of the Emperor" is the way he liked to put it. His next 3 1/2 years were tough with beatings and hunger and many horrible diseases, but he said he had to survive because the Marine Corps hadn't issued him any dog tags and if he died no one would know who he was. He was in forced labor in the Mitsubishi Plant (MKK) in Mukden all those years. Roy held no bitterness toward the Japanese; he said he couldn't waste his time doing that.
When he returned he joined the Marine Corps reserves for 2 1/2 years but decided he wasn't cut out for civilian life and rejoined the Corps in 1950. The Corps sent him to Japan in 1951 where he was the Company Gunny. Later the duties he enjoyed the most were Recruiting and NCO Leadership School Instructor. He served 21 1/2 years in his beloved Corps. He retired in 1964 as a Gunnery Sgt. He was a proud Marine and an Honorable one. He believed very strongly in Honor, Courage and Commitment. He lived that way.
Roy married Caroline in 1980 in California and eventually ended up in Coeur d'Alene in October 1998. Roy loved to travel - anywhere, anytime.
He enjoyed being Liaison for the Young Marines. He was so proud of them but was sad he was not able to do more with them because of his age. He also loved seeing the ROTC in Kellogg at their Marine Corps Birthday Ball. One of his favorite things to do was going to the local schools, giving speeches and meeting the kids. He was always amazed by them.
He was a Life Member of the VFW No. 889, DAV Chapter 9, FRA Member-at- large, AMVETS-Walla Walla, American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, American Ex-Prisoners of War (AX-POW), Mukden Survivors and Descendants Group-NY, Marine Corps League Pappy Boyington Detachment 966-Coeur d'Alene and the NRA. Roy was a member of Military Order of Devil Dogs (MODD) - Coeur d'Alene, Ex-POW's Inland Empire Chapter - Spokane, American Legion Post 143 - Post Falls. He held several offices in Dept. of Idaho Marine Corps League and was the current Sr. Vice Commandant, Also current Sr. Vice Pack Leader Military Order Devil Dogs-Dept. of Idaho,
He was preceded in death by father and mother Madison and Christina Weaver.
Roy is survived by his wife, Caroline; son and daughter-in-law Ron L. Pitts and Dr. Tina Cecil and two grandchildren, Cecilia Marie and Julianne Faith of High Point, N.C.; brothers-in-law and wives, Frank and Pam Remley of Naches, Wash., Roy and Marsha Grondin of Clancy, Mont., Bob and Mary Grondin of Dalles, Ore.; brothers-in-law Jake Jeczala of Spokane and Jim Elliott of Bellingham, Wash.; cousins Eileen Salmi of Santa Rosa, Calif., Marty Maynard of Inverness, Fla., Chuck Henikin of Portland, Ore., and Helen Campbell of Clarkston, Wash.
Memorial services for Roy will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, at Arlington National Cemetery Columbarium. Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Please visit Roy's memorial and sign his online guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.
To his dear friends and family, he would say "Hang in there, I'll be with you." To his Veteran friends he would say "We did good, Stand tall." To all the POW's he would say. "We survived, Stay strong." And to his Marine Corps Buddies, he would say, "Always Remember - Honor, Courage, Commitment" "Oorah."
"Semper Fi"