Roy B. Nash

12/3/2022

On December 3, 2022, Chaplain Roy B. Nash of Springfield passed away at age 84. Born in Monroe, Louisiana to Clyde and Dorothy Nash, Roy is survived by his wife, Kay Nash. They were married for 59 years. Roy is also survived by a daughter, Heather Nifong, her husband Chris, and grandchildren Lucy and Alice Nifong of Springfield and by a son, Heath Nash and his husband John Noble of Washington DC. Roy graduated from Neville High in Monroe, LA; Louisiana Tech in Ruston, LA; and Methodist Theological School in Delaware, OH. He first practiced ministry at Northeastern Louisiana University and Tulane University then became a hospital chaplain, relocating with his family from New Orleans to Springfield, IL in 1978 to create and direct a full-time Pastoral Care Department at Memorial Medical Center. From there, Roy moved to group and private practice as a marriage and family therapist until his retirement at age 72. Roy was a member of the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church and the American Association of Marriage and Family Counselors and a fellow of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. He served as President of Rotary Sunrise in 1990-91; in 1992, Rotary Foundation named him a Paul Harris Fellow. Roy was a superb golfer, winning the State of Louisiana's amateur men's golf championship while in college. Private services will be held. The family requests that any donations go to Unity Church of Springfield on Cordelia Street, the Central Illinois Foodbank, or the Animal Protective League.