William Erston “Billy” Royal, 54, of Frank Community, Irwin County, died Saturday evening, April 14, at Irwin County Hospital.
Funeral services will be held at 2 P.M. Monday, April 16, at Frank Primitive Baptist Church with Elder Edward McIntyre officiating. Interment will follow in Whitley Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 Sunday evening at the funeral home in Fitzgerald.
Mr. Royal was born June 19, 1952 in Fitzgerald, Georgia to the late James and Josephine Harden Royal. He was a 1971 graduate of Irwin County High School and attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. After farming, he was a salesman for Colonial Baking Company. For the past 16 years, he worked for the Georgia Department of Transportation Road Maintenance Division in Fitzgerald and Ocilla. He was a member of Frank Primitive Baptist Church where he formerly served as Bible Study Director. He was a counselor for Camp Hillview Primitive Baptist Youth Camp. Mr. Royal was an avid fox hunter, fisherman, coached softball and was a former member of the Georgia National Guard.
Mr. Royal is survived by his wife: Mokana Phillips Royal, Frank Community, Irwin County; Son: Erston (Scarlett ) Royal, Frank Community, Irwin County; 2 Daughters: Chris Kilbury of Ocilla and Billie Jo (Mark) Abney of Raleigh, North Carolina; 3 Grandchildren: Katelyn, Kandace, and Kai Kilbury, all of Ocilla; 3 Brothers: Seaborn (Patricia) Royal, Irwin County, Whitley (Evelyn) Royal, Fitzgerald, Joe(Teresa) Royal, Irwin County; Sisters: Mary Frances (Ronnie) Cantrell, Fitzgerald, Charlotte (Larry) Herrington, Milledgeville, GA, Betty Laura (Bobby) Walker, Tifton, and Katie (James) Arrington, Tifton; as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy Grimsley.