ROY C. AUKERMAN, age 76, beloved husband of Mary Pat Sullivan; loving father of Leah Speigal (Tommy) and Roy A. Aukerman (Amber); proud Grandpa of Caanan and Autumn; dear brother of Renee Mosley; best ever uncle and great uncle of many.  U.S. Navy veteran.  Passed away unexpectedly of cardiac arrest May 27, 2021, after a long battle to overcome the ravages of Covid-19.  All services will be private for the family. A celebration of Roy's life will be held at a later date.

It's impossible to sum up Roy's larger than life personality in a few words. His impact on every person he encountered would fill a book. He added fun and laughter to people's lives, and we're quite sure he made Jesus laugh as he passed through the gates of heaven. On their wedding day, his wife Mary Pat described how kind and caring he was, and how he saw people as God does:

• Everyone is equal in your eyes.
• You make everyone feel that they are special.
• You find talent in everyone, and let them know you know they've got it.
• You make the poor feel richer.
• You make the homely feel handsome, and you make the beautiful feel even prettier.
• You make children feel grown-up, and you make adults feel like children again.
• You make the simplest person feel important, and you make an important person feel uncomplicated again.
• You seek out the shy and make them feel included.
• You put the militant and angry people at ease.
• No one leaves the room as a stranger with you, whether that room is a ballroom or a boardroom or an elevator or a public restroom.
• You are special, like no other, one in a million, and no one knows it better than I.

Roy was proud of his service in the U.S. Navy, where his outstanding skills as a radio operator in the Naval Security Group earned his self-given title of Spy. These same skills led him to a lifelong career in the computer industry as a software specialist.

Roy was especially influential during his 2 and ½ years in his son's Galvanized recovery group. He was not an expert in recovery, but he was an expert in inclusiveness. He made every man in that organization want to draw close and gather strength from his humanness.

The family would like to give a special thanks to the dedicated staff at Cleveland Clinic Avon ICU for their skill, dedication, fortitude, and compassion while working tirelessly for Roy's extraordinary care.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to be made in memory of Roy to any of the following: Alzheimer's Association, PO Box 74924, Cleveland, OH 44194 (directed to "Research") ( www.alz.org ); Cleveland Animal Protective League, 1729 Willey Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113 ( www.clevelandapl.org ); Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, PO Box 931517, Cleveland, OH 44193 ( http://giving.clevelandclinic.org ); Galvanized men's recovery and healing ministry at Grace Church Middleburg Heights, 7393 Pearl Rd, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130 ( https://gracecma.churchcenter.com/giving/to/galvanized )