Kristie Sue Rollag-Royce

Kristie Sue Rollag-Royce was called home to her Lord on April 26, 2008, at the age of 52. She was born in Portland, Ore., to Norman and Phyllis Rollag on Jan. 27, 1956. She and her family moved to Oak Harbor during the summer of 1956.

Kris attended Clover Valley Elementary and then Broad View Elementary the first year it opened. She then attended Oak Harbor Junior High and finally Oak Harbor High School. She loved music and sang with the Madrigals. While in high school, she also worked at Poncho’s Restaurant, which was owned by her aunt and uncle. She graduated with the class of 1974.

Kris attended Washington State University and graduated in 1979 with her bachelor’s degree as a clinical dietitian. She worked at Anacortes Convalescent Center as food service director. Kris met John Royce, a young Navy pilot, in 1980 and they began dating. A short time later, a blind date was arranged by friends and, without anyone knowing, Kris and John had already set up their own first date. John and Kris were married on Aug. 15, 1981, at Base Chapel, NAS Whidbey Island.

In 1981, Kris was hired as the project director of Meals on Wheels for Skagit County, spending 10 years with that agency. In 1991, she left that program and assumed the role as a full time mom, raising three sons. Kris and John enrolled their children in the Oak Harbor Christian School. She took an active role in the school and its activities. She was involved with fundraising for many years to build the picnic table area and also the ballfield. As her sons entered high school, she continued her activity with the PTA.

Kris was a great supporter of the kids and she loved to watch their sporting events, such as soccer and baseball. She also worked on her tenth, twentieth and twenty-fifth-year class reunions.

Kris was a longtime member of the Oak Harbor Lutheran Church, where she was known as the “cookie lady” at the 8 a.m. service. She looked forward to church each Sunday.

Kris’s favorite things were daffodils and tulips, one shot mochas with half the chocolate from Espresso Connection, pig wars with her sister Candi, the movie “Grease,” chocolate ice cream, and pizza Fridays with her family. She enjoyed walking with Candi and friends and mall nights on rainy days.

Kris is survived by her husband John and three sons, Nicholas, Christopher and Patrick, her mother Phyllis Rollag-Achziger and husband Harry, all of Oak Harbor, her mother-in-law Beverly Royce of Phoenix, Ariz., and her sister Candace Rollag-Amarelo and husband David of Oak Harbor and niece Katherine Amarelo of Colorado Springs, Colo., and nephew Jonathan Amarelo and wife Mary of Bellevue.

Memorial services for Kristie Rollag-Royce will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Oak Harbor Lutheran Church with Rev. Jerry Buss officiating. Cremation was held with family inurnment to follow at a later date. Please sign the family register at burleychapel.com. Honorariums may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Cancer Research or Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel, Oak Harbor.