Roy Souders Jr.

Roy Souders Jr., 81, of Van Wert, died at 9:35 a.m. Thursday, July 21, 2011, at the Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center.

He was born May 1, 1930, in Pocasset, Okla., the son of the late Roy A. and Fannie F. (Shipp) Souders. On May 28, 1955, he married Eleanor M. (Branch) Souders, who survives in Van Wert.

Mr. Souders spent 35 years in the property and liability insurance industry. He was a member of the professional Society of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters (CPCU). In 1991, he received a national honor from the Society when he was selected as a “Standard Setter” for his contributions to the insurance industry and his community. The last 26 years of his career was spent as an employee of The Central Insurance Companies of Van Wert. He retired in 1992 as senior vice president-operations.

Mr. Souders was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Van Wert, serving in many capacities. He was founder of the Van Wert Chapter of Compassionate Friends and served as its leader for more than 10 years, then three years as Northwest Ohio regional coordinator. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Van Wert County and Wassenberg Art Center, and was a member of the Board of Trustees of Van Wert County Hospital. He was a recipient of the Ray Miller Award from the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce and a former member of Van Wert Rotary Club. He was a veteran of the United States Navy and served in the Korean War. In 1957, he graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla.

In addition to his wife, survivors include a daughter, Becky (Rick) Craft of Paulding; two brothers, Robert E. (Marjorie) Souders of Fort Worth, Texas, and Richard W. (Nancy) Souders of Pocasset, Okla.; one sister, Oleta F. Salek of Midwest City, Okla.; and three grandchildren, Jason R. Craft, Lauren R. Craft and Amanda G. Craft.

A son, Neal B. Souders, also preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, at First United Methodist Church in Van Wert, with the Revs. Gus Christo and Paul W. Miller officiating. Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.

Family will receive friends following the service on Tuesday.

Arrangements were handled by Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory in Van Wert.

Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.alspachgearhart.com.