Roy Centner, beloved husband, father and community member, died Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011, at the age of 62 after a short stay at Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree as the result of a cardiac episode.
Roy was born Oct. 19, 1948, in Flagstaff, Ariz.
He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1968 after getting arrested for spinning wheelies on the administration grounds at Northern Arizona University.
When the judge asked him if he wanted to go to jail or into the service, he chose the service, making sergeant in 18 months, something which is almost unheard-of.
Roy served in Vietnam from 1969-70. Because of his uncanny markmanship, he was picked to be a "recon-ranger," part of a group that operated under the motto "swift, silent and deadly."
After his tour in Vietnam was up, he went back to NAU and graduated in 1975 with a bachelor of science degree in political science.
After college, he went back into the Corps as an officer, graduating from the Quantico Officers' Candidate School at the top of his class.
Offered his first pick of duty stations, he chose Hawaii, which was saved for the "best of the best." He was then stationed in Kaneohe.
During the 1980s, he served with the peace-keeping forces for the United Nations in Egypt, Israel and the Sinai Peninsula.
Roy retired from the Corps in Twentynine Palms in 1992, then went to work as a substitute teacher at Twentynine Palms Junior High School.
He opened Roy's Tires here in July 2003.
He was an avid member of the local chapter of Business Networking International and the Twentynine Palms Chamber of Commerce.
Roy enjoyed spending his free time riding Sea Doos and quads and camping on the Colorado River.
He is survived by his wife, Dona; daughters Kari, Heather, Andrea and Megan; and sons David and Curtis.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 5 at the Protestant Chapel aboard the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, with private burial to follow.
Anyone wishing to make a contribution in Roy's name can do so by donating to either the Twentynine Palms High School tennis team or Palms-N-Paws Animal Shelter.
Robert W. Hitchcock, 68Copyright (c) 2011 The Desert Trail, Brehm Communications Inc., All rights reserved.
Roy Centner, beloved husband, father and community member, died Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011, at the age of 62 after a short stay at Hi-Desert Medical Center in Joshua Tree as the result of a cardiac episode.
Roy was born Oct. 19, 1948, in Flagstaff, Ariz.
He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1968 after getting arrested for spinning wheelies on the administration grounds at Northern Arizona University.
When the judge asked him if he wanted to go to jail or into the service, he chose the service, making sergeant in 18 months, something which is almost unheard-of.
Roy served in Vietnam from 1969-70. Because of his uncanny markmanship, he was picked to be a "recon-ranger," part of a group that operated under the motto "swift, silent and deadly."
After his tour in Vietnam was up, he went back to NAU and graduated in 1975 with a bachelor of science degree in political science.
After college, he went back into the Corps as an officer, graduating from the Quantico Officers' Candidate School at the top of his class.
Offered his first pick of duty stations, he chose Hawaii, which was saved for the "best of the best." He was then stationed in Kaneohe.
During the 1980s, he served with the peace-keeping forces for the United Nations in Egypt, Israel and the Sinai Peninsula.
Roy retired from the Corps in Twentynine Palms in 1992, then went to work as a substitute teacher at Twentynine Palms Junior High School.
He opened Roy's Tires here in July 2003.
He was an avid member of the local chapter of Business Networking International and the Twentynine Palms Chamber of Commerce.
Roy enjoyed spending his free time riding Sea Doos and quads and camping on the Colorado River.
He is survived by his wife, Dona; daughters Kari, Heather, Andrea and Megan; and sons David and Curtis.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 5 at the Protestant Chapel aboard the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, with private burial to follow.
Anyone wishing to make a contribution in Roy's name can do so by donating to either the Twentynine Palms High School tennis team or Palms-N-Paws Animal Shelter.
Robert W. Hitchcock, 68Copyright (c) 2011 The Desert Trail, Brehm Communications Inc., All rights reserved.
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