Roy Leslie Stewart Orvis
April 11, 1928 – September 20, 2024
The son of one of Dryden’s pioneer families, Roy was born in the Red Cross Hospital to parents Marion Deborah “Dora” Walker (1903 – 1981) of Woodside Manitoba and Leslie Alfred Orvis (1893 – 1982) of Whitby Ontario who moved to Dryden as a young boy.
Roy grew up on the Orvis family farm in the family home on what is now Casimir Avenue at the end of Orvis Street. Roy, the eldest of four brothers, grew up embracing the outdoors, spending his time fishing and exploring the area with his friends and siblings—Arthur, Harvey and Alfred Orvis. As a young adult, he earned his private pilot’s license and became an active member of Dryden’s flying club. Roy’s love for fishing and adventure continued with his and Alfred’s cherished Piper Cub J3 plane. Equipped with floats in the summer and skis in the winter, the two brothers explored remote lakes, creating memories and experiences that they later shared with their families.
From an early age, Roy demonstrated an impressive intellect and keen interest in technology that he carried with him his entire life. He started repairing radios for local families at only 12 years old. Roy later studied electrical engineering at Queen’s university in Kingston Ontario. He earned his amateur “ham” radio license, connecting with people around the world.
Most notably, Roy invented some of the technology that pioneered the television cable industry including the heterodyne processor which was used by cable systems across North America before digitization and ran Canada’s first commercial cable television company, Dryden Community Television, with his partner Phil Johnston and later with his wife Carol Anne Orvis (nee Henshaw) (1935 – 2021) after Phil’s retirement. Roy and Carol rebranded the company to Dryden Cable TV, later selling the company to Videon (Shaw) in 1994 and retiring.
Roy was recognized for his pioneering in the cable television industry earning recognition by the Government of Canada with an invitation to parliament and a term as President of Canada’s Cable Television Association. He was hand-picked as one of only 3 Canadians and other foreign television pioneers by author and inventor Bob Cooper to travel around the globe in 1983 to install satellite communications in Sri Lanka where he met and formed a friendship with his favourite author, Arthur C. Clarke. The group also toured and advised on communications infrastructure in Japan, Hong Kong, India and England, bringing their families for an adventure of a lifetime. Roy and Carol also ran Dryden’s community TV channel, covering local hockey games and other community events live on channel 10 for many years before retiring in 1994.
As an inventor and pioneer, Roy earned the moniker of pioneer of an industry, yet his quiet humble nature meant that only his peers, close friends and family knew what an incredible impact he made. He had opportunities around the world, but always chose his home and family in Dryden as the place to raise his children and live his life. His friends would recall visiting the family home for visits while spending time wrapping wires around coils so Roy could keep up with the demands of his inventions. His family remembers his time in workshops, where he would happily invite anyone in, sharing his knowledge of electronics and still repairing radios, toys, amplifiers and anything else brought to him.
Known by all who met him as an incredibly gentle and kind-hearted man, Roy found the love of his life, Carol, during a course at Confederation College in Dryden. After just two weeks of dating, he proposed, telling people, ‘I’ve met the love of my life, so why wait?’ Carol, a widow with four children, and Roy would go on to have two more children together, raising their six kids—Sally Woodworth, Alan Woodworth, Cary Woodworth, Bradley Woodworth, Shelby Orvis, and Guinevere Orvis—in Dryden. Roy shared his boundless love for nature, fishing, adventure, flying, travel, science, technology, and scuba diving with his family. Together, Roy and Carol welcomed countless others into their lives, creating a warm, inviting family environment. Those fortunate enough to know them fondly remember the quiet, humble genius that Roy embodied, always willing to share his passions and knowledge, without ego, with anyone eager to learn.
Roy and Carol honeymooned in Barbados, sparking a lifelong love for the Caribbean’s nature, people, culture, cuisine, and music. Over the years, Roy traveled to many Caribbean islands with family and friends, weaving this passion into the fabric of their family’s culture. This blended with their shared love for the nature and adventure in the Dryden area, creating countless cherished memories.
Roy spent most of his life in Dryden, though he also lived in Kingston during university, and in Saint Pierre and Miquelon, where he worked and operated his ham radio. From 2015 to 2023, he resided in Toronto for medical care and to be closer to his youngest child and her family. After the tragic passing of his wife, Carol, in 2021, Roy was able to return to Dryden, moving into long-term care at Princess Court just before Christmas 2023. He spent his final 10 months there, lovingly cared for by the dedicated staff and visited by his family, in the town he always considered home.
Although Roy experienced dementia in his later years and weakened where he was wheelchair bound, he otherwise remained remarkably healthy, thanks to a lifetime of active, healthy living. His condition never diminished his ability to remember his extraordinary life, recognize his family, and understand that he was finally home. And so, after a long, loving, and fulfilled life, Roy passed as he lived, quietly and peacefully, at Princess Court long term care in his hometown of Dryden, surrounded by his devoted family.
Roy is lovingly remembered by his brother Alfred and sister-in-law Garra, his niblings Derek (Linda), Nick (Kathy), Darren (Wendy) and Suzanne (Tyler), Wanda, Lynda, Darra (Jim), Jiana (Ed), Joel (Sarah) and numerous great niblings. He is also lovingly remembered by his children, Sally (Blaine), Alan, Cary (Cheryl), Brad, daughter-in-law Margot, Shelby, and Guinevere (Allen), his cherished grandchildren, David, Sarah (Christian), Amanda (Tom), Megan, Madison (Jayden), Melody, Kara (Holly), Thomas (Paige), Joshua, Steph, Jeremy (Kerstin), Isla, and Adeston; and his great-grandchildren, Novalie, Louie-Francois, Naomi, Blaire, Ava, Armand, Taneal, and Eowyn, who was born just two weeks ago. He is predeceased by his wife of 50 years Carol, his brothers Arthur and Harvey, his parents, his nephews David and Steven and granddaughter Daisy.
Thank you for the exceptional care in Princess Court in Dryden.
A service for Roy will be held Friday September 27th at 1 pm at Dryden Community Funeral Home with Mardi Plomp officiating. Interment will take place at a later date.
Donations can be made to Princess Court DECO (Dryden Extended Care Organization), Box 953, Dryden, ON P8N 3E3 or Doctors-without-borders, 551 Adelaide Street West,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 0N8, both charities Roy and Carol supported in their lifetimes.
“In my life I have found two things of priceless worth – learning and loving. Nothing else – not fame, not power, not achievement for its own sake – can possibly have the same lasting value. For when your life is over, if you can say “I have learned” and “I have loved” you will also be able to say, “I have been happy.” ~ Arthur C. Clarke
Condolences may be posted at www.dcfh.ca
Arrangements entrusted to the Dryden Community Funeral Home, 249 Grand Trunk Avenue, Dryden, ON P8N 2X3.
