Roy McLain, Sr, 98, died peacefully on May 9. 2026 at The King's Daughters & Sons Home. Roy will be laid to rest in a graveside service at Forest Hill East Cemetery on May 16 at 1PM.

Roy was a career U.S. Navy veteran, serving over 20 years until his retirement in 1966. He was honorably discharged from the Naval Reserve in 1976. While on active duty, he was rated as an Aviation Machinist Mate while serving Naval Aviation in anti-submarine patrol squadrons. He found amusement in telling fellow military veterans later in life that he never stepped on board a ship during his 20+ year naval career.

Given his training as an aircraft mechanic, antique car restoration became a Life-long passion. He restored Model T Fords and Model A Fords into middle-age, before becoming an early model Ford Mustang enthusiast in his 50's. He was a founding member of Mustangs of Memphis and served his turn as President of the organization for a year.

Roy was member of what's been called, The Greatest Generation: the generation that survived the Great Depression and won a World War. He was born to a small farm family in Whitwell, Tennessee. If he or one of his brothers was loaned out to work a neighbor's field for $0.25/day, that quarter might be the difference in whether a loaf of bread was on the family dinner table that night.

Though neither he nor his first wife graduated high school, they made sure their children graduated college with a 4-year degree, and they somehow managed to do it while the 2 were in college at the same time for 2 of those 4 years. He was hesitant to offer advice to children he felt were more educated, without realizing the example he set by what he achieved, given the start he had in life, was more impressive than any words he could have shared.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Jenwyl Dean Ferrell, his second wife Mary Elizabeth McDaniel, father, Floyd Estill McLain, and mother, Hallie Mae Cantrell, as well as his brothers William Lafayette McLain, Charles Allen McLain, Jerry Andrew McLain Sr, Robert Floyd McLain and sisters Dorothy Lee McLain, Shirley A McLain and Patricia Ann McLain. He is survived by his children, Roy Jr and wife Sarah Watkins, Helen Mae McLain and partner David Harp, his grandsons, John Allen McLain and partner Julia Larson, Paul Michael Lanning and wife Leila Morrison, as well as great grandchildren, Lucy Michelle Lanning, Caroline Elizabeth Lanning, and Charles Michael Lanning.

The family requests that memorials be made to the Mid-South Food Bank.