Roy R. Twaddle III, 77, Portsmouth

Posted 10/18/19

Roy Royce Twaddle III, age 77, formerly of Portsmouth, R.I., passed away on Sept. 29, 2019 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.  He was born in Newport News, Virginia, son of the …

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Roy R. Twaddle III, 77, Portsmouth

Posted

Roy Royce Twaddle III, age 77, formerly of Portsmouth, R.I., passed away on Sept. 29, 2019 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.  He was born in Newport News, Virginia, son of the late Roy R. Twaddle, Jr. and Bess Twaddle. Roy graduated from Rhodes College with a bachelor’s degree in Biology where he also played football and sang folk music.

In 1965, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy.  He was a veteran of the Vietnam War and held a variety of command and staff positions during his 27-year career, including commanding officer of the U.S.S. Nipmuc, U.S.S. Connole and the Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I. He obtained his master’s degree in Business Administration at George Washington University while teaching at the U.S. Naval Academy. He retired at the rank of Captain in 1992. He exemplified honor, courage and commitment throughout his military career. 

After retiring from the Navy, Roy earned a Doctor of Philosophy from Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I. and taught at the College of Business, University of Rhode Island for nearly 20 years with expertise in Organizational Psychology, Science Education, and Educational Technology.  

He loved sailing his boat, Sea Turtle, spending leisure time in Freeport, Maine, and enjoying the beauty of Aquidneck Island, R.I. 

He is survived by his loving wife, Gayle (Whitaker) Twaddle; two daughters, Theresa Gunnlaugsson and Sharon Twaddle McGinnis; one son-in-law, Thor Gunnlaugsson; three grandchildren, Rachel Gunnlaugsson, Ian McGinnis, and Rebecca Gunnlaugsson; a son, Paul Pearce, his wife, Liz Pearce, and their children, Sarah Gaines, Anne, and Catherine; one brother, Rob Twaddle and his wife, Susan; and, one sister-in-law, Barbara Freeman and her husband, Walter.  

The family will be forever grateful for the wonderful care Roy received from the staff at The Communities at Golden Pond in Hopkinton, Mass.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, at 9 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 330 Wood St., Bristol, R.I. His burial will follow in the Rhode Island Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in Exeter, R.I. In lieu of flowers, his family suggests a donation to the Alzheimer's Association or the National Hospice Foundation. 

Additional information available at www.memorialfuneralhome.com.

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.