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About Royce Cherry Eiland:

CLAYTON, N.M. -- Royce Cherry Eiland, a native of Scurry County, died Monday, Feb. 24, 2003.

Funeral service for Mr. Eiland, 86, is set for 2 p.m. Friday in the First Baptist Church with the Rev. Billy Rammage, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in the Clayton Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Hass Funeral Directors.

Born Oct. 25, 1916 in Ira to Graydon and Ethel Cherry Eiland, he was a 1934 graduate of Snyder High School and a 1939 graduate of Hardin-Simmons University. He married Fran Largent on May 18, 1940 and they lived in the Folsom, N.M., area from 1946 until 1977 when they moved to Clayton. In addition to his parents, Mr. Eiland was preceded in death by a grandson, Zachery Eiland Lansford.

Survivors include his wife, Fran Eiland of Clayton; a daughter, Cherry Lynne Reif of Clayton; two sons, Don Eiland of Abilene and John Eiland of Wildorado; a brother-in-law, Bill Largent of Abilene; three cousins from Scurry County, Bill Eiland, J.R. Meadows and Joe Falls; five grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.