GORHAM-- Royce F. O'Donal, founder of O'Donal's Tree Nursery, peacefully passed away in his sleep at his Gorham home on June 6, 2019 in the arms of his beloved wife after a long and prosperous life. The eldest son of Charles and Lena O'Donal, he was born on February 16, 1927 in Smithfield, Maine. Here he attended a one room schoolhouse and learned the value of hard work to help support the family. He later graduated from Scarborough High School with the class of 1945. In 1944 he met the love of his life, Selma (Sally) Milbury from Danvers, MA and he knew immediately that he would one day marry her. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1945-46 before earning an honorable discharge due to family hardship, returning home to work on the family farm. He and Sally married on May 10, 1952 and recently celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary. Together they owned and operated O'Donal's Tree Nursery while also raising six children. In 1959 he purchased property on 132 County Road in Gorham, opened the tree nursery in 1960 and devoted the next thirty-two years to developing one of the largest retail tree nurseries in the state of Maine. He was a founding member and past president of the Maine Nurserymen Association and served on the advisory committee to set up the horticultural program at Southern Maine Community College. Over the decades he earned numerous accolades and honors culminating in the Al Dwight Black Lifetime Achievement Award for Horticulture in January 1999. After "retiring" in 1992, Royce spent the next twenty-seven years planting and caring for trees and shrubs, building furniture and bird houses and spending time with his expanding family. He also spent as much time as possible in the woods and outdoors, hunting and fishing among his many interests. It was a frequent sight to see him inspecting the grounds with his beloved dogs Chico, and later Rocky. He was predeceased by his parents, Charles and Lena O'Donal, sisters Erla Merry and Avis Mitchell, and brothers Merle and Roger O'Donal. Royce is survived by his wife Selma Milbury O'Donal and children: Michael O'Donal and wife Cherrye of Moffat, CO, Wayne O'Donal and wife June of Denmark, ME, Jeffrey O'Donal and wife Elaine of Gorham, ME, Suzan Sweeney and husband Larry of Saranac Lake, NY, Nancy Mash and husband Nelson of Gorham, ME, and Ellyn Phelps and husband Tim of Hollis, ME. His grandchildren include: Micki (O'Donal) Buteau and husband Tobey of Gorham, ME, Heather (O'Donal) Ouellette and husband Ryan of Buxton, ME, Jennifer (O'Donal) Jackson and husband Kyle of Wrentham, MA, Timothy O'Donal of Denmark, ME Perry (O'Donal) Hopkins and husband Will of Belleville, IL, Stephanie (O'Donal) Loebl and husband Michael of Tyngsborough, MA, Stacey O'Donal of Aurora, CO, Megan (Sweeney) Schafer and husband, Ryan of Queens, NY, Bennett Sweeney and wife Lyndsey of Suffield, CT, Emily Sweeney of Lake Placid, NY, Ashley O'Donal of Gorham, ME, Whitney Quint of Gorham, ME, Ryan Quint and wife Joanna of Williamsburg, VA, Samuel and Aidan Phelps of Hollis, ME. Great-grandchildren include: Asa and Keenan Buteau, Madison Ouellette, Allison and Andrew Loebl, Gage and Izak Young and Trenton Kidder Royce also leaves behind a beloved former daughter-in-law, Diane Meech of Scarborough, ME and beloved "bonus" daughter Judy Johnson of Hollis, ME. He is survived by his brother Harmon O'Donal of Eagle Point, OR, and sister Hattie Jane Stubbs of Windham, ME. Visiting hours will be held on Monday, June 10, 2019 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Dolby Blais & Segee, 434 River Road in Windham. A funeral service will be celebrated Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 2:00 PM at First Congregational Church, 191 Black Point Road in Scarborough. Burial services will follow at Black Point Cemetery, Black Point Road Scarborough. A special thank you to the hospice team at Compassus- especially Kim, Mercedes, and Jasmine for their care and guidance in Royce's final days. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Alzheimer's Association, Maine Chapter at 383 US Route One, Ste. 2C, Scarborough, ME 04074.