Roy Gene Nixon passed away peacefully on February 23, 2026, after a six-year journey battling bladder and kidney cancer. Roy maintained a love for his wife, Betty, and their outings to Goddard Methodist Church or to one of their favorite restaurants around Fort Smith.

Roy’s life can be best described by four ‘F’ words: Family, Friends, Food, and Fun. In his 88 years with us, he experienced the abundance of each.

Family: Roy spent most of his life in Northwest Arkansas. His family lived in Ratcliff when he was a young boy and later moved to Fort Smith with Betty, where they raised their son, Nick. He loved hearing genealogy findings of long-forgotten family members from his niece Lana; it brought him so much joy as it helped him remember the names from stories that his father, George ‘Judge’ Franklin, and Gertie Mae Nixon would speak of with him and his late brothers, Trumann and Travis. Roy had a sister, June, who died in infancy; he spoke of her often and always made certain that the family did not forget her. In recent years, he enjoyed it when his youngest brother, George, came to Fort Smith to visit from Houston, TX. Roy served as best man when his son, Nick, married Gail and became grandpa ‘Pop’ to Jessica. But the big thrill was when his great-grandson, Cooper Alexander Nixon Odom, was born. He made a point to be very engaged with his granddaughter and great-grandson whenever their time allowed.

Friends: Roy loved everyone who knew him; he always referred to all he knew as his friend, he also loved his gang from the Goddard Food Pantry, the Goddard Men’s Breakfast Club, all those who participated in the Boys’ Club, and the Fort Smith Soccer Association. He loved reconnecting and catching up on life. and spent much time asking his family to help him find old friends that he previously worked with at AOG and went to school with through the years.

Food: Roy really believed that food was the gift of life; he and Betty would try new restaurants and never forgot their favorite eateries. If he loved your restaurant, the staff were his friends and extended family as well.

Fun: Roy loved enjoying life and going anywhere near water. The mantra he shared with all his family and friends was, ‘enjoy life and whatever you do, have fun doing it.’ His most coveted stories were those surrounding the years he spent coaching soccer with the Fort Smith Boys Club and the Fort Smith Soccer Association. Not only was he mentoring and teaching young boys at the Boys Club in Fort Smith, but he also enjoyed the thrill of watching them become young men.

After he lost his ability to make long outings away from the house, he would always express how grateful he was for the wonderful life full of family, friends, and the kindness of the compassionate caregivers; Roy exemplified the meaning of a life well lived.

A special thank you goes to his nephews Richard Nixon and Danny McGrew, for the late nights they spent assisting Roy and Betty in his difficult days.

Funeral services will be held at Goddard Methodist Church, Fort Smith, AR, on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.; the Goddard Men’s Breakfast Club will serve as honorary pallbearers.

To place an online tribute, please visit www.brothertonbrothersfuneralhomes.com.