Loving husband, devoted father, grandfather, and great grandfather, Roy Alexander Busby, 84, died peacefully Monday, March 9, 2015 at St. David's Hospital Georgetown surrounded by his family. He was born February 11, 1931 to parents Frank LeRoy Busby and Lucille Avant Busby in Dilley, Texas.
He is survived by and was married to the love of his life, Melba Inglish, August 26, 1967 in Dallas, Texas where they made their home for over 48 years.
Roy, also known as RA or Uncle Buzz, graduated from Dilley High School in 1949 where he lettered as quarterback of the football team and as pitcher of the baseball team. He was famous for many wild stories of pitching watermelons between moving trucks, trapping skunks, and the infamous crash on horses with good friend Pete Barnes.
Upon graduation, he headed to Shriner Institute to complete two years of raucous academia; managing to graduate with only a scrape on the family car while on a double date. RA entered the University of Texas in the Fall of 1951 where he earned his keep in a boarding house as a cook and joining a local fraternity known as TLOK (The Lord Only Knows), graduating with a BBA in 1953.
RA began a career with Mobil Oil Corporation as Senior Tax Agent in the Ad Valorem Tax Department for all phases of property tax on real estate, producing oil and gas property, pipelines, and gasoline plants. He travelled all over Texas for Mobile and has many tales of Duval County during a volatile political era.
In 1967 RA and co-worker at Mobile Marvin F. Poer opened their own ad valorem tax consulting firm. In 1971, RA opened his own consulting firm, Roy Busby & Co., where he remained until his retirement in 2010. RA and Melba were famous for their Christmas Tree Decorating Parties as well as many other cocktail parties.
Through the years they hosted Melba's many nieces' and nephews' Rehearsal Dinners. They opened their home to the children of the Baptist Children's Home of Dallas, hosting cookouts and swim parties for many years. RA was 32 Degree Mason and Shriner. He and Melba were members of the Preston Hollow First United Methodist Church.
RA soon began a lifelong passion for flying airplanes. His Cessna 210 gave him great pleasure and a wonderful taxi ride for us all. He and Melba made many trips to Lubbock to pick up a few daughters and bring them home. More than anything, he and Melba loved to travel. Her career as a Braniff Stewardess took them all over the world, numerous trips with their three daughters. Many exciting and memorable times were had by all.
RA had many fishing and hunting buddies: Walt Evans and cousins JR Avant and Gloria Wheeler. JR and Daddy's last trip together was the best: an epic ride on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express across Russia. A consummate gentleman, cowboy, businessman, and a true Texan, RA will be missed by all. There will be a hole in our hearts in the days to come.
Roy is also survived by his three daughters: Gina Busby McMaster and husband John, Janet Busby Hewlett, and Sandra Busby Roth and husband John. He is also survived by eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren: Amanda Alford McNeil and husband Orrie, their children Natalie Morgan and RaeLynne Jean; Angela Alford McNeil and husband Ryan, their child Anthony Roy; Jonnie Lynne McMaster; Ross Alexander Hewlett, Kathryn Hewlett McWherter and husband Nolan, and Baby McWherter (on the way), and Carter Matthews Hewlett; Clayton Blain Roth and Rebecca Roth Biggs and husband Brent; and numerous nieces and nephews. Roy was preceded in death by his brother LtJG Claude Robert Busby, mother Lucille Avant Busby, father Frank LeRoy Busby, and sister Virginia Busby Hutchison .