Memorial Service to be Held for Patricia Royce

Patricia Royce always had a way with words.

The daughter of a homicide detective turned mystery writer, she would spend her life as a literacy advocate. And she managed to find love with three small words.

She placed a personal ad in the paper. Her children were grown. Her first marriage had ended, and she was ready to start a new chapter in her life.

That ad caught the attention of Ed Royce Sr., and he was hooked before he even laid eyes on her.

“It was a little ad, and it looked intriguing,” said Royce Sr. “I remember the last line was, ‘Life will begin.’”

So he answered the ad, and the couple began a new life together that would last through 32 years of marriage, sailing adventures on stormy seas in their boat the “Encore,” and years in the political limelight.

Patricia Royce, 84,  passed away this month. A visitation service will be held for her today, and a funeral service and celebration of her life will be held tomorrow.

This week, the Los Alamitos City Council adjourned its meeting in her honor. The Royce family is well known in the community for its involvement in local programs and Orange County politics.

Ed Royce Sr. is a Stanton City Councilman and has been a board member for Municipal Water District of Orange County. His son now serves as a U.S. Congressman representing the 40th district, which includes Rossmoor and Los Alamitos.

“She was a very sweet lady,” said Councilwoman Marilynn Poe. “The Royce family in general are very big contributors to everything that goes on in this community.”

“They were so active in Orange County politics, and I would see her at events, and she was the kind of person you were glad to run into,” said Alice Jempsa, former Los Alamitos mayor and longtime councilwoman. “She was just very smart and sweet – the kind of woman a politician would like to have around.”

In fact, Patricia Royce helped with her stepson’s congressional campaign, said family members.

“She was something special, and I really miss her,” said Ed Royce Sr. “Reading was her passion. She was president of the Friends of the Library, and she knew quite a few people because she was so involved. People have been so nice to me, and I want to thank them.”

Patricia’s Royce’s visitation, funeral and reception will be open to the community. The visitation is today at Westminster Memorial Park located at 14801 Beach Boulevard in Westminster. The funeral will also be at Westminster Memorial Park on Thursday from 12pm to 1pm.  The burial will be at Forest Lawn located at 4471 Lincoln Avenue in Cypress at 1:30pm to 2:30pm.  Attendance is welcome at the Stanton Community Center located at 7800 Katella Avenue beginning at 3pm on Thursday for a celebration of her life.

The Royce Family published this story of her life:

Patricia (“Patty”) Ann Royce passed away in the early morning of Thursday, April 7, 2011.  Patty was 84 years young.  She passed away under the loving care of her family.  Her life was spent entirely in California with the last 32 years in Stanton.  She was born February 17, 1927 in San Diego. 

Patty’s life was lived in 3 phases of joyful celebration of family and friends. 

She grew up in the Point Loma section of San Diego, the daughter of Edward and Hazel Dieckmann.  Her dad was a lieutenant and head of the Homicide Squad for the San Diego Police Department.  He gained great fame in this position writing a book on homicide investigation.  Later he was a successful author of a crime/historical fiction for the famous short story magazines popular in the mid-twentieth century.  Patty was exposed to a lot of adventures through her dad including actually being shot at while riding with him in the car.  No one was hurt in that incident.  Her eldest son Rick recalls the story of an old carving knife Patty kept in the kitchen that had dark stains on it.  The knife, she always said, was stained with blood and was a murder weapon in one of Grandpa’s investigations that he had kept as a “souvenir”.  Patty’s two sons, Rick and Jeff, were duly impressed and they never touched that knife.  As a young teen at the outset of World War II, Patty rode her bike through the night streets of Point Loma during air raid drills to make sure inhabitants were maintaining the “black out” rules.  She attended Herbert Hoover High School graduating in 1944.  Patty was a bright, beautiful, vibrant young woman, traits that would only grow as she lived her amazing life.

Patty married Richard E. Klein in 1949.  They lived in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles, then Sacramento and then back to Southern California in 1963.  Patty’s first son, Rick Klein was born in 1950 and then came Jeff Klein in 1954.  Patty raised her two boys as a single mom all through their junior high and high school years. 

She worked full-time and more, sacrificed in every way and helped Rick and Jeff become the successful adults they are today.  The home she maintained in these years was austere but loving and supportive.  One of Patty’s close friends who was divorced and had a son who was a close friend of Jeff’s passed away from cancer.  Patty’s caring, giving spirit showed itself again as she took in Ron during the boy’s last years of high school, suddenly giving her a third son.  But as her boys became young men and left the nest to pursue their lives firmly based in the values she instilled in them, Patty was alone.

Then Patty met Edward D. Royce.  It was love at first sight and thus began 32 years of love and partnership that will endure forever.  Both had previous marriages and children.  Patty had Rick and Jeff while Ed had Ed, Jr., Nancy, Jennifer and Donald.  These families became one when Patty and Ed married in 1979.  Patty had struggled to make ends meet as a single mom but Ed brought not only his unending love but a support that allowed Patty to slow down, end her career as a real estate loan officer and enjoy a productive retirement, focusing on both her family and her community. 

Christmas Eve at Patty and Ed’s was the family event of the year but the family gathered frequently at Patty and Ed’s for various family and holiday celebrations.  She was the supreme hostess for any occasion.  During this time Patty cared for Michelle Klein, the daughter of her first husband’s second marriage as Michelle attended high school in the USA while her family was overseas. 

Patty was the long-time president of the Friends of the Stanton Library.  Her achievements in this role included fundraising, the establishment of a Summer Reading Program that touches the lives of about 300 children each year and the strengthening of the library’s volunteer base. 

Her life became a social whirlwind, first as her eldest step-son, Ed., Jr., became a California State Senator and then a United States Representative for their district.  Patty was deeply involved in Ed, Jr.’s campaigns and supportive of all his many initiatives in the community.  Patty’s political engagement continued as Ed, Sr. was elected to the board of directors of the Municipal Water District of Orange County and later to the Stanton City Council serving as mayor.  These events further galvanized Patty’s significant role as an active member of the community.  Patty was loved by all of the many people privileged to have enjoyed her ever-giving friendship and love.

 Patty is survived by her husband, Edward Royce, Sr., her sons Rick and Jeff and their wives, Irene and Jane; granddaughter Nita Rodriguez and her husband Victor and their two boys (Patty’s great grandsons!) Kedric and Indra; grandson Chris; step-son Ed, Jr. and his wife, Marie; step-daughter Jennifer and her daughter, Katherine.