Royce Kent Pride, 93

Royce Kent Pride passed away on August 19, 2026, in Panama City Beach, Florida. He was 93.

Royce married Mary Lavonne Dillon in 1955 and had two children, Michael and Timothy (Nancy) and one granddaughter, Katherine (Pride) Chipman. Mary Lavonne passed away in 2019.

Royce was born June 12, 1933, in Otwell, Ind., to Hilbert and Juanita Pride and was the oldest of three sons, Jerry and Robert (deceased).

Upon graduating from high school, Royce became a US Navy reservist and was called for active duty during the Korean War. He spent 13 years in the Navy, where he trained as an Electronics Technician and worked in that field after his service. Later, he became an industrial electrician working in coal mining near Evansville until retirement. He lived in Newburgh, Indiana, for many years, where he and his wife raised their family. A few years after retirement, he moved to Panama City Beach, Florida, for the remainder of his life.

Royce was a practicing Christian and a member of First Baptist Church in Panama City. He loved dancing with his wife, IU basketball and was a lifelong runner, continuing to run until age 75, when a joint replacement ended his running, after which he reverted to a two-hour-long walk each day.

A memorial service for Royce will be held at Harris Funeral Home, 705 Walnut Street, Petersburg, Indiana, on Saturday, September 19. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m., and the service will be at 11 a.m. A graveside interment will follow the service.