Obituary of Roy Richard Meinen

Fort Worth, Texas - Roy Richard Meinen, 94, passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 18, 2024.

Roy was born on January 16, 1930, to Edward and Margaret Meinen on a farm outside of Panama, Nebraska.

In 1946, Roy met Shirley Burk while attending Panama High School in Nebraska. Roy excelled in basketball during his time at Panama High School. He went on to attend Peru State College in Nebraska, where he continued to play basketball and achieved great success. He was later inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame on September 14, 1991.

Roy enlisted in the Army on August 16, 1948, and was honorably discharged on August 17, 1954, as a Corporal. He was unable to serve overseas due to a farm accident while on leave on July 14, 1950. Roy and Shirley were married on April 12, 1951, when they were both 21 years old. This past April, they celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary. Together, they raised three sons: Michael (Mike), Edward (Ed), and Randall (Randy).

In 1954, Roy and Shirley moved from Lincoln, Nebraska, to Midland, Texas, where Roy worked for Northern Natural Gas Company, typing reports for the gas company. He also held a second job interviewing people at night to assess credit for appliance purchases. During one such interview, he met LeRoy Gill, the manager of the American General Life agency in Midland. LeRoy recognized Roy's potential and wanted to hire him, but Roy had to wait until he turned 25 due to company rules. Roy officially joined the agency on January 16, 1955, at age 25, and quickly became the agency's star producer.

Roy was named "Man of the Year" for the agency in 1955 and 1956. In 1959, he was offered the opportunity to start his own agency in Fort Worth, Texas. Over the next 50 years, his agency and personal production in insurance and financial services made it one of the premier offices for American General Life. He also achieved membership in the MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table) for 46 years and was a founding member of MDRT’s Top of the Table. On September 7, 1976, Roy was elected to the Board of Directors of American General Life, becoming the first agency manager in the company’s history to receive this honor. Roy was also actively involved in various investments throughout his career, including ventures in the oil and gas industry and real estate.

Roy loved playing golf, cards, and dominos at Ridglea Country Club (RCC) in Fort Worth, where he formed many great friendships. He served on RCC’s Board as President in 1985 and 1986 and as Chairman of the Board in 1987.

Roy was a long-time member of St. Stephen Presbyterian Church. He worked on many committees for the church including raising money to build the sanctuary. He also coached the men’s basketball team to three City Championships in 1974, 1975, and 1976. He and Shirley later moved to Arborlawn United Methodist. He has always been a good Christian man who helped guide his family in God’s word and devotion.

Always a devoted husband and loving father, he led his family with strength and integrity, setting a wonderful example for his sons of how to be both a husband and a father.

Roy is survived by his beloved wife, Shirley, and their three sons:

· Mike, married to Kyoko, with their son, Roy.

· Ed, married to Carson, with their children: Burk, married to Katlin, parents of Teddy; and Caroline, married to Nick, parents of Arlo.

· Randy, married to Sallie, with their sons: Aaron, married to Melissa, parents of Andrew and John; and Brad, married to Nikki, parents of Zoe, Ezra, and Cooper.

He is also survived by his sister, Sally Jondle, married to Gordon.

Roy was preceded in death by his brothers, Bill Meinen and Jay Meinen.

Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. Friday, December 6, 2024 at Arborlawn United Methodist Church with a reception to follow. The church is located at 5001 Briarhaven Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76109.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association of Fort Worth, Texas.

Roy's legacy of love, leadership, and dedication will be cherished forever by his family and friends.