Roy Yelder

ROY YELDER

Iowa City

Roy Lee Yelder, a longtime area businessman, died this past week of natural causes in his home. A time for family and friends to share Roy's life will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 31, at Gay Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service on Muscatine Avenue. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 4, at Arrington Funeral Home in Roy's hometown of Birmingham, Ala., with burial to follow at Zion Rest Cemetery in Forest Home, Ala.

Online condolences may be sent for his family through the Web site www.gayandciha.com.

Roy was born on Nov. 30 in Forest Home, Ala. Following his high school graduation, he headed north and enrolled at Palmer Chiropractic School in the Quad Cities, but quickly switched gears to the University of Iowa, where he earned undergraduate and graduate degrees. He worked in both the financial aid and special support services offices before starting his business careers.

For over 20 years he owned and operated the Que-Bar in downtown Iowa City as well as owning many rental and commercial properties throughout eastern Iowa. In recent years he worked with city entities to rehab older commercial structures and give the structures renewed purpose. Roy also earned his pilot's license and loved to fly his plane.

Roy liked nice things: nice food, nice clothes, nice cars and nice people. And he was nice in return by giving his time through advice, encouragement and example to help others reach their potential.

Roy is survived by his uncle, Claude Hardaway Jr. of Birmingham Ala.; siblings, Karen Gordon, Sandra Frost, Terry Hill and James Hill, all of Birmingham, Ala., Marilyn Yelder of Memphis, Tenn., and Julia Ware of Madison, Ala.; and a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and many great friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Annie Jean Yelder and West Granson; two sisters, Jessie Garner and Delores Douglas; and his grandmother, "Sister" Jessie Frost.