Royce V. Bounds

Royce VanAdrian Bounds was born on August 28, 1956, in Marion, Indiana. He was the son of Marvin Howard and Joyce Geraldine Temple. Unfortunately, these were in the days of institutionalization for people with severe intellectual disabilities. Back then, families had little support to keep their children with them. 

In 1961, when Royce was not quite yet five, he was placed in the Northern Indiana State Children’s Hospital. His institutional placements continued until 2000 when he moved to Holy Cross Living Center in Mishawaka. In 2003, he moved to a beautiful group home on Ireland Ridge in South Bend, run kindly and capably by Benchmark Human Resources. It was in this home that Royce died peacefully, apparently in his sleep, on the morning of October 18th.

Despite his tough institutional history and lack of family involvement, Royce maintained a sweetness and a dignity all his days. He sat up straight with his chin up as if he was proud. He expressed his almost perpetual contentment with a pleasant little smile and by humming his own little tunes. He showed his affection by gently holding a friend’s wrist and guiding the friend’s hand to rub his cheek or scratch his head—which elicited even more smiling and humming.

Logan Protective Services became guardian in 1977 to oversee his care and to give him the next best thing to family.

Please contact Matt Costello, at Logan Protective Services, 574 289-4831, for details about Royce’s memorial service.