Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Grandison Royston

Mr. Grandison D. "Buster" Royston, Jr., 83, of Hope, passed away Friday, August 8, 2003, in Pinehope Health and Rehab Center.

He was born September 3, 1919, in St. Louis, Missouri to Dr. Grandison D. Royston and Marjorie Cole Royston.

He was the grandson of Captain Charles Edward Royston of Hempstead County an officer during the Civil War, and the great-grandson of General Grandison D. Royston, President of the Constitutional Convention in 1874, who served with distinction in the history of Arkansas. His maternal great-grandfather, William Wright Andrews, was born in Connecticutt and became a large land owner and merchant in Arkansas. Mr. Royston's ancestral line includes the English families of Royston, Strother, Andrews and Watkins; the Irish families of Cole and Jackson; the Scottish family of Littlejohn; and the French family of Pankey. The Royston line has been traced back to 1066 A.D.

Mr. Royston was a graduate of the John Burroughs High School of Clayton, Missouri in 1942. During his career, he was engaged as a farmer, a school teacher, draftsman, tool designer, project engineer and part farm owner with his father in raising cattle on the family farm near Hope, which, until sold in 1996, had been in the Royston family since 1836. He also worked part time as an engineer at a local defense plant.

Mr. Royston was elected to the Board of Directors of Blevins School System in 1957 and served as Secretary for two years. He served as a member of Hempstead County Welfare Board and the Board of Governors of the Mayflower Society; fraternally, he belonged to Sigma Alpha Epsilon Social Fraternity, and the Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity; a member of Whitfield Lodge # 239 of Hope, 32nd degree Mason and Scimitar Temple of the Shrine; Albert Pike Consistory of Little Rock; Hempstead County Historical Assoc.; member of the Hempstead County Republican party; and member of Hope's Golden

K Kiwanis Club.

He was active for many years with the work of the Boy Scouts of America. He was an Eagle Scout, having attained this highest rank in scouting in 1935. In 1937, he attended the World Boy Scout Jamboree in Vogelzang, Holland; and this same year was elected to the Order of the Arrow Honorary Scouting Fraternity, and completed the Bronze, Gold and Silver palms to the Eagle Scout Badge.

Mr. Royston was recipient of the Distinguished Rifleman Award in 1938, the highest award in the National Rifleman's Association, and in 1939 was a member of the National Championship Rifle Team at the University of Missouri.

He was preceded in death by one grandson, Wade Scruggs and by one sister, Anna Mary Royston.

His survivors include: his wife of almost 56 years, Imogene Nolen Royston of Hope; one son, Grandison D. Royston, IV, of Clarksville; one daughter, Margie Scruggs, and Joe of Tulsa, Okla.; two grandsons, Todd Scruggs and Beth of Tulsa, Okla. and Guy Royston of Arkadelphia; one brother, Charles E. Royston, II of Dallas, Tex.; two special nephews, Charles E. Royston, III of Kingman, Ind. and Jonathan Royston of San Antonio, Tex.; and a number of other relatives.

Funeral services were 10 a.m. Monday, August 11, 2003, at First Baptist Church in Hope with Rev. Wade Hood and Rev. Earl Cumbie officiating. Burial was in Bethel Cemetery in Blevins. Arrangements by Brazzel/Oakcrest Funeral Home in Hope.

Family was received Sunday, August 10, 2003 from 3-5 p.m. at the funeral home.