Mary Roland Royer

Mary Roland Royer, 84, passed away on Friday, August 1, 2025, after a long illness surrounded by her loving family. A lifelong Elizabethtonian, Mary was born on December 7, 1940. She was the daughter of the late Russell and Ruth Evans Roland and baby sister to her late brothers Charles, Paul, and Gerald. Mary graduated from Elizabethtown High School where she was a star on the field hockey team. She took her field hockey prowess to West Chester, where she graduated with a degree in physical education. She was a phys ed teacher and coach at a variety of schools in southcentral Pennsylvania, most notably Eastern York, where she coached volleyball and the field hockey team to a championship. Mary married her high school sweetheart, Harold L. Royer. Harold and Mary settled on a farm outside of Elizabethtown where they raised chickens for over thirty years. Mary loved the outdoors, and her spirit was connected to the beauty of nature. She had two favorite places on earth. One is the farm where she raised her family. The other is the family cabin on the banks of gurgling Wykoff Run in Cameron County. Her love of family was paramount. She cherished her family and the time spent with them. The farm was a gathering place, and these gatherings filled her with joy. She loved nothing better than seeing her grandkids running across the fields or playing in the creek at the cabin. Mary was an avid birder and a member of the Lancaster County Bird Club. She also loved gardening, cooking, and baking. She was a lifelong and active member of Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church, serving in many roles through the years, from Sunday School teacher to chair of the fair committee. The passion for sports never left this old hockey coach; she enjoyed watching her kids and grandkids play sports and loved cheering on the Phillies and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Mary and Hal were great travelers. Through their golden years, they traveled coast to coast, visiting every state in the continental US plus Alaska. They always enjoyed meeting new people, seeing new places, and getting a sense of the flavor of different parts of the country. Mary cherished her many friends, from all the chapters of her life, and love and laughter with friends was a big part of her, especially the old high school gang. Mary is survived by her devoted husband of 62 years, Harold Royer; a son, Matthew Royer, husband of Kerry, of Mount Gretna; a daughter, Michelle Singiser, wife of Eric, of Elizabethtown; and her four beloved grandchildren, Emily Singiser Myers, wife of Jesse, Luke Royer, Julia Singiser, and Finnian Royer. A memorial service honoring Mary’s life will be held at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 398 N Locust St, Elizabethtown, PA 17022 on Sunday, August 10, 2025 at 2 PM. Family and friends will be received at the church before the service from 1 PM to 2 PM. Interment will be private at Mt. Tunnel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (address above).

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Mary Roland Royer

December 7, 1940 - August 1, 2025