Frank Royse Jr.

Frank Royse Jr. passed away at his residence in Golden, Colorado on December 7, 2025.

He was 97 years old and is survived by his wife of 70 years, Edith McAlister Royse.

Frank was born on August 16,1928 in Batavia, Illinois to Frank Royse Sr. and Lucretia (Baker) Royse. He was born into a military family, and he and his two sisters, Pat and Cretia, spent their formative years growing up in military towns across the United States and Hawaii.

In 1954 Frank graduated from the University of Nevada Reno with a bachelor's degree in geology. He then spent two years in the Army and was stationed on the Greenland ice cap. While on leave in Washington DC, he met Edith McAlister through a mutual friend, and they were married October 29,1955 in Little Neck, New York. Their first child Sue was born in New York, and shortly thereafter they moved to Laramie, Wyoming where Frank graduated with a master's degree in Geology. While living in Wyoming, Frank and Edie had two more children, Ellen, and Donald.

After graduation, Frank was offered a position as a geologist by Chevron Oil Corporation and began his working career in Casper, Wyoming. In 1961 he and his family were transferred to the regional office in Denver, Colorado, and he spent the next 30 years of his career there. Frank retired from Chevron in 1991. Working for Chevron was a perfect match for Frank, and he rose through the ranks to become one of their premier geologists.

Frank's work as a geologist led to several significant discoveries, particularly in the extremely complicated Overthrust Belt of western Wyoming. He became a leading expert on the Rocky Mountain Thrust Belt system and went on to study thrust belts around the world. After retirement, he continued to do geologic research in the Rocky Mountain West. In all, Frank authored or co-authored at least twenty-three professional papers during his career and retirement.

(There is an excellent interview with Frank in the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) archives. It can be viewed by typing Geolegends: Frank Royse Jr. into an internet search engine and then click on the video interview with Frank. It is Frank at his professional best.)

After retirement, Frank and Edith continued living in Arvada, Colorado, where he enjoyed skiing, long distance running, and sailing. However, Frank's favorite sport was tennis, which he enjoyed all his life. They also travelled internationally, visiting many countries around the world. After several years in the Denver area, they moved to Oro Valley, Arizona in 2002. Frank and Edie enjoyed their retirement years in Oro Valley and made many lifelong friends there. Frank continued to play tennis until he turned 90 years old, and Edie enjoyed playing Mahjong with her friends for many years.

In 2024, they moved back to the Denver area, living at the Golden Pond Retirement Center in Golden, Colorado. They stayed close to their daughters, Sue and Ellen, grandsons Joe and Ben and their wives, and particularly enjoyed spending time with their great-grandsons, Joe, Finnian, Lochlan, and new baby Tadhgan.

Frank is survived by his wife Edith, his daughters Susan Royse and Ellen Rohret (Matt), grandchildren Joe Rohret (Renee) and Ben Rohret-Navin (Genevieve). He also leaves behind his great-grandchildren Joe Rohret, and Finnian, Lochlan, and Tadhgan Rohret-Navin. He is preceded in death by his parents and sisters, his son Donald, and his granddaughter Katrina Rohret.