Theo Royer

Annie Theo Lane Royer Theo Lane Royer, age 97, passed away on April 2, 2023 in Knoxville, Tennessee. She born March 15, 1926, in Sardis, Tennessee, to the late Herman Lane and Martha “Mattie” Phillips Lane. She graduated from Sardis High School at age 16, and attended Union University where she graduated in 1946. While at Union she worked in the Registrar’s office and began teaching mathematics. It was there that she met and married the love of her life, Alfred Royer, in 1946. In 1947 they moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to benefit Al’s health. There, Theo served as financial secretary for the First Baptist Church, where her husband was on staff. As his health improved, they moved to Plainview, Texas, where she taught mathematics courses and served as Registrar at Wayland Baptist University. After Al’s graduation in 1950, they moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where he studied at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Theo taught math at Barrett Junior High until his graduation in 1953. They moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, where Al was pastor of Glenwood and Grace Baptist Churches. Theo continued teaching as a substitute teacher, while raising their two sons. In 1967 they moved to Shelbyville, Tennessee, to pastor First Baptist Church, and she taught math and physics at Central High School. They moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, in 1978 to pastor Palm Springs Baptist Church. Theo taught at Forest Hills High School until her retirement in1988. The couple returned to Knoxville and enjoyed their retirement years as grandparents and active members of Central Baptist Church, Bearden. For over 20 years, Theo and Al served as visitors to the homebound. She worked faithfully as a pastor’s wife, mother and teacher. After Al’s death in 2016, Theo began team-teaching the Encouragers Bible Class. Theo is predeceased by her beloved husband of sixty-nine years, Alfred T. Royer, her father and mother, brother Harold Lane, and sister Trevor Rogers. She is survived by sons and daughters-in-law Philip A. Royer and Elizabeth “Betty” Pearce Royer, and Dr. John M. Royer and Alice Bearden Royer; grandchildren Rachel Royer, Lane (Bill) Root, John Mark Jr. “Josh” (Hannah) Royer, and Benjamin (Kristy) Royer; great-grandchildren John Mark III “Jay” Royer, Margaret Ruth Royer, Charlotte Elizabeth Root, and Liam Philip Root. Visitation will be 12:00 pm to 1:30 PM, Thursday, April 6, at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel, with the service to follow at 1:30 PM. Burial is at Highland Memorial Cemetery at 3:00 PM. Memorials may be made to Central Baptist Church, designated to the Global Missions Fund of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, 6300 Deane Hill Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37919. Online condolences may be expressed at rosefuneraltn.com.

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Theo Royer

March 15, 1926 - April 2, 2023