Roy L. Heid passed away on July 31, 2009 with family by his side, after a short battle with cancer. He was 77 years old, and joins his wife of 54 years, Mary, who passed away just seven months earlier. Roy was born to Louis and Bertha Heid in Buffalo, New York on January 22, 1932. He grew up in Buffalo and graduated from Seneca Vocational High School.

Roy joined the Air Force in 1951 and was stationed at Randolph Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas. In 1952, he met his future wife, Mary, at a church group for young adults. They were married on December 11, 1954. They lived in Austin, where Mary worked and raised two kids, while Roy completed his mechanical engineering degree at the University of Texas. They moved to Richland in 1961. Roy worked as a mechanical engineer at the Hanford Site for General Electric and Douglas United Nuclear. In 1970, he moved his family to Pittsburgh for a great opportunity with Westinghouse. Missing the Tri-Cities, Roy and his family moved back in 1974 to take a job with WPPSS, where he retired in 1995.

Roy's passions in life revolved around his family and friends. He loved spending time on the golf course with his friends and sharing a beer on the 19th hole; becoming his children's resident handyman for both big and small projects; hunting and fishing with long-time friends; sharing the crossword puzzle and cryptoquote with his wife but keeping sudoku for himself; staying in touch with friends at Wednesday night Big Gulp and Friday morning breakfasts; reconnecting with family on cruises; taking interest in his grandchildren's many sporting events; rooting for the Mariners, the Seahawks, the Cougs, and the Texas Longhorns; and sharing a glass of wine or a gin and tonic with all those that passed through his door.

Most of all, Roy loved his wife, Mary, his daughter, Susan, and her husband Rich, his son, Gary, and his wife Joy, his grandchildren Brady, Haille, Cole and Casie, his sister Phyllis, his brother Vic; and his dogs Maddie and Sadie.

Per his request, a family grave site service has been planned. Per his children's request, a memorial celebration will be held at the Towne Crier on Saturday, August 22, at 2:00 pm.