Royal passed away in the comfort of his home on September 6th, just short of his 83rd birthday. Royal was born on Oct. 22nd, 1924 in Seattle and spent his entire life as a West Seattle resident. "Pop" fondly remembered attending Alki Elementary, Madison Jr. High and was a proud West Seattle HS Indian.

Royal enjoyed a long career as one of Seattle's leading commercial photographers. After high school graduation, he began as a staff photographer for The Seattle Times. Later, he attended Los Angeles Art Center, where he further honed his photography skills, became a freelance photographer out of his West Seattle home of 71 years, then co-founded Camera Craft, Inc. Royal's photography spanned from spectacular aerial shots of our region, to portraits of Joe DiMaggio, George Burns and the like.

He married Patricia Kelley in 1958 and raised two children. Royal enjoyed his retirement from photography in the late '80's by spending much time at "The Woodshed" on the family's wooded acreage in Monroe, several trips to Hawaii and cruises to the Caribbean.

Royal is preceded in passing and greeted by his parents, his brother Ed, as well as many West Seattle friends and Sun Valley ski chums. He is survived by Pat, his loving wife of almost 49 years, his son Todd, his daughter Danni, four grandchildren Chad, Macey, Grady and Corey, his sister Gloria Nelson, 367 baseball caps, 3 riding mowers and 13 chainsaws that don't work.

Services for Royal will be held at the Admiral Congregational Church at 4320 SW Hill St. and Calif. Ave SW on Saturday, September 29th at 2PM. Remembrances can be made to the West Seattle High School Scholarship Fund. Royal will be deeply missed by friends and family alike. He was a good kid.