Obituary for Royd Alec Lake
Royd Alec Lake began his life’s beautiful journey on March 31, 1954 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts. He was 67. He was the son of the late Jane Adelphia Lake and Walter Williams. On Friday, June 4, 2021, Royd departed this earthly life to gain eternal rest.
Royd immigrated to Brooklyn, New York in 1964. He graduated from Boys High School in 1973. There he participated in “track and field” and spent most of his days working out by running through the streets of Brooklyn to Prospect Park. Royd was recruited by several universities/colleges but ultimately chose to accept a scholarship from the University of Iowa. There is where he met the love of his life, Kathy Arleen Lake, who became his wife of thirty-five years. Royd spent the next 4 years being acknowledged for both his academic and athletic success where he received his degree in Communications.
Royd received many accolades during his “track and field” career. He participated in many events from running the 100 to 400 meter races, 4X1 relays, and 4X4 relays. He held the fastest times in many of these events leading his team to win state and national championships. In his honor, he was inducted into the Boys High “Hall of Fame” where he was bestowed the title of a “Legend of the High”. At the University of Iowa, Royd’s success in track and field was duplicated and there too he held the record for the fastest times in many events. His favorite track and field event was the 200 meters. Royd had a record-breaking 4 years at the University of Iowa where he met many of his lifelong friends.
Royd and his wife moved to Heidelberg, Germany in 1986 after Kathy enlisted into the U.S. Army. As a loving husband, Royd supported his wife in “becoming all she could be”. He loved being a father to his 4 daughters. While his wife was away at military training, Royd took special care making sure the children were taken care of to include styling their hair just like mom would do. Royd and Kathy lived in Germany for 4 years where they travelled throughout Europe to places like Frankfort, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Sweden, and Switzerland. Royd’s unwavering support of Kathy’s military career allowed her to rise in ranks very quickly.
After the military, Royd returned to his passion of working with his God-given talents for construction work. He worked on several million-dollar commercial projects. Later formed his own Independent Contractor company, T3&E Property Group, where he would help the people in his community. He took great joy in completing lavish residential projects for his clients. Some of these projects included state-of-the art kitchens and bathrooms, flooring, painting, lighting, electrical and plumbing work. More importantly, he cherished the friendships he established along the way.
Royd was an outstanding father and grandfather. He was entertaining, outgoing, and enthusiastically energetic. Royd had the ability to bond with everyone he encountered. He loved reggae, calypso, and steelpans. Teaching his children to read, ride bikes, play sports, and go on family vacations was his greatest joy. He instilled in his children the value of a true education, independence, hard work, humanitarianism, and loving GOD. Having meals at the dinner table and conversing about world affairs and other topics was an everyday thing. Royd took honor in knowing his children became great communicators like himself.
Preceding him in death was his loving mother, Mrs. Jane Lake Butler and his loving brother Kurt C. Lake. He leaves to cherish his love and fond memories to his loving wife, Kathy Arleen Lake of thirty five years; his four daughters: Enjulique(Edmund) Starks, Tiana, Tserri, and Takiya, two grandchildren: Malia and Spencer, seven sisters: Norma Austin, Tshai(Wilfred) Bailey , Rozelle Lake, Jezelle(William) Rivers, Helga Hubbard, Desta(Robert) Lewis, Vonda(Marlon) Hendrickson, one brother Osman C. Lake. Four brothers-in-law, George, Horace, Clarence, Donnie, seven sisters-in-law, Lorraine, Beulah, Brenda, Gloria, Sylvia, Patricia and Ernestine. His extended family: Ma Alice “Nana” Surgeon, his brother, Ronald “Hop” (Kay) Surgeon, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Royd's service on June 21, 2021, at 12:00PM, will be live streamed on Mount Laurel Home for Funeral's YouTube channel at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqHO67wpBsUSkgPDUxZiBw
Royd immigrated to Brooklyn, New York in 1964. He graduated from Boys High School in 1973. There he participated in “track and field” and spent most of his days working out by running through the streets of Brooklyn to Prospect Park. Royd was recruited by several universities/colleges but ultimately chose to accept a scholarship from the University of Iowa. There is where he met the love of his life, Kathy Arleen Lake, who became his wife of thirty-five years. Royd spent the next 4 years being acknowledged for both his academic and athletic success where he received his degree in Communications.
Royd received many accolades during his “track and field” career. He participated in many events from running the 100 to 400 meter races, 4X1 relays, and 4X4 relays. He held the fastest times in many of these events leading his team to win state and national championships. In his honor, he was inducted into the Boys High “Hall of Fame” where he was bestowed the title of a “Legend of the High”. At the University of Iowa, Royd’s success in track and field was duplicated and there too he held the record for the fastest times in many events. His favorite track and field event was the 200 meters. Royd had a record-breaking 4 years at the University of Iowa where he met many of his lifelong friends.
Royd and his wife moved to Heidelberg, Germany in 1986 after Kathy enlisted into the U.S. Army. As a loving husband, Royd supported his wife in “becoming all she could be”. He loved being a father to his 4 daughters. While his wife was away at military training, Royd took special care making sure the children were taken care of to include styling their hair just like mom would do. Royd and Kathy lived in Germany for 4 years where they travelled throughout Europe to places like Frankfort, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Sweden, and Switzerland. Royd’s unwavering support of Kathy’s military career allowed her to rise in ranks very quickly.
After the military, Royd returned to his passion of working with his God-given talents for construction work. He worked on several million-dollar commercial projects. Later formed his own Independent Contractor company, T3&E Property Group, where he would help the people in his community. He took great joy in completing lavish residential projects for his clients. Some of these projects included state-of-the art kitchens and bathrooms, flooring, painting, lighting, electrical and plumbing work. More importantly, he cherished the friendships he established along the way.
Royd was an outstanding father and grandfather. He was entertaining, outgoing, and enthusiastically energetic. Royd had the ability to bond with everyone he encountered. He loved reggae, calypso, and steelpans. Teaching his children to read, ride bikes, play sports, and go on family vacations was his greatest joy. He instilled in his children the value of a true education, independence, hard work, humanitarianism, and loving GOD. Having meals at the dinner table and conversing about world affairs and other topics was an everyday thing. Royd took honor in knowing his children became great communicators like himself.
Preceding him in death was his loving mother, Mrs. Jane Lake Butler and his loving brother Kurt C. Lake. He leaves to cherish his love and fond memories to his loving wife, Kathy Arleen Lake of thirty five years; his four daughters: Enjulique(Edmund) Starks, Tiana, Tserri, and Takiya, two grandchildren: Malia and Spencer, seven sisters: Norma Austin, Tshai(Wilfred) Bailey , Rozelle Lake, Jezelle(William) Rivers, Helga Hubbard, Desta(Robert) Lewis, Vonda(Marlon) Hendrickson, one brother Osman C. Lake. Four brothers-in-law, George, Horace, Clarence, Donnie, seven sisters-in-law, Lorraine, Beulah, Brenda, Gloria, Sylvia, Patricia and Ernestine. His extended family: Ma Alice “Nana” Surgeon, his brother, Ronald “Hop” (Kay) Surgeon, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Royd's service on June 21, 2021, at 12:00PM, will be live streamed on Mount Laurel Home for Funeral's YouTube channel at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqHO67wpBsUSkgPDUxZiBw