John Wayne Royalty

Family Tribute-

John Wayne Royalty of Indianapolis, passed away on January 30, 2025.  His parents were Ruel Green Royalty and Doras M. (Crane) Royalty. He was the baby of the family; his brothers and sister, Elvin, Ray, Dale and Betty (Phillips) and parents all preceded him in death.

John grew up with a wanderlust desire.  He dropped out of school in Beech Grove at 15 and began working on heavy equipment and bulldozers.  He was from the 50’s and would have been a proud part of the Greasers’ culture.

John was in the Air Force and served as a crew chief on B-47 jet bombers; his base commander was COL Paul Tibbets, who was a bomber pilot during WWII.  He was very proud to have known and served with COL Tibbets.  He also spent a year in England on the Russian ready alert line with his plane loaded with H-bombs for Russia if needed. 

During the different seasons of John’s life, he had special women during each.  The first special woman was Wanda Darlene Neer. Military life was not for her and the union didn’t last. 

After leaving the Air Force, John’s wanderlust kicked in again and he headed for California.  He worked for the Arcadia Street Department as heavy equipment operator. Because of his natural knack for solving and/or improving processes, he was recognized by the Mayor of Arcadia for his ingenuity in improving the equipment he worked on.  He met his next special lady, Patricia Kosky, a British young lady on her own wanderlust quest. Their paths crossed and with his persistence, they married and she became the mother of John’s only son, Ricky Royalty. Unfortunately, this union didn’t last, but the love never faded.  They both never stopped loving each other.

The wanderlust bug hit again; John wanted in the action again, but not in the thick of it.  He traveled to Wake Island as an aircraft mechanic during the Vietman War, repairing and refueling aircraft.  He thought he was headed to a paradise with native women just waiting for his kind of love.  Unfortunately, the US government wanted to ensure optimal mission success.  There were no women on the entire island.

Finally, back stateside, John ended up back in his home of Indiana working at the Indianapolis Weir Cook Airport Fire Department as shift captain.

Final care and arrangements by Norman F. Chance Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 504 National Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana 46227 Online condolences and words of remembrance maybe offered at www.chancefuneralhome.com

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