Early Life in Rural Kansas
Roy Lavere Fund was born on June 13, 1919, at the family farm northeast of Goff in Nemaha County, Kansas. He was the youngest son of William Howard Fund and his wife, and one of five brothers in a close-knit farming family. Raised in a rural setting, Roy grew up helping on the family farm and living a quiet agricultural life. He completed grammar school and continued working on the farm into young adulthood. Roy registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, listing his occupation as “self-employed farmer.” His draft card described him as 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 175 pounds, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a dark complexion.
Enlistment and Early Military Service
In November 1940, Roy enlisted in the Kansas National Guard in Holton and was formally inducted into the U.S. Army on December 23, 1940. He was assigned to Company E of the 137th Infantry Regiment, part of the 35th Infantry Division. This unit, composed largely of National Guard soldiers from Kansas, began intensive training as the United States prepared for possible entry into the growing global conflict.
While stationed at Camp Robinson in Arkansas in early 1941, Roy was promoted to Private First Class and visited fellow soldiers in other batteries. However, his military path was not without personal setbacks. In March 1942, Roy was hospitalized in Springfield, Missouri, for a spinal injury he had sustained as a child. Following surgery and a period of recovery, he was granted furlough to return home before rejoining his unit.
Deployment to Europe and Health Challenges
After months of stateside service, Roy and his division were eventually sent overseas. They arrived in England in early 1944 to prepare for Operation Overlord—the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. As D-Day approached, Roy fell ill again—this time with mumps—and was hospitalized in June 1944. Despite this illness, records indicate that he recovered and returned to duty in time to join his unit on the European continent.
Combat and Sacrifice in France
Sergeant Roy Fund was among the thousands of soldiers who entered combat in France following the D-Day invasion. His unit, the 137th Infantry Regiment, was engaged in fierce fighting during the Normandy campaign in July 1944. On July 14, 1944—just one day after his 25th birthday—Roy was killed in action. He suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the upper body during battle.
News of his death was delivered to his parents via telegram from the War Department, making Roy the first soldier from the Goff community to die in World War II. The community mourned deeply, recognizing the loss not only to his family but also to the town as a whole.
Memorial and Burial in Normandy
A memorial service was held in his honor on September 10, 1944, at the Goff High School auditorium. Rev. Walter Carson from the Christian Church of Soldier, Kansas, delivered the message, and the local American Legion post conducted the military rites.
Roy Lavere Fund was laid to rest in Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, in Plot J, Row 2, Grave 24. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for giving his life in service to his country.
Legacy
Roy left behind four brothers—Mirl, Walter, Dale, and Harold—and a large extended family, including his aunt, Mrs. Louis Moser of Sabetha. His father, William H. Fund, was also originally from Sabetha, connecting Roy to two Nemaha County communities that grieved his loss.
Sergeant Roy Lavere Fund is remembered as a determined and patriotic young man who overcame illness and injury to serve his country. His ultimate sacrifice in the fight for freedom in Europe ensures that his name is etched not only in the cemeteries of Normandy but also in the hearts of his hometown community.
Sources
Early Life in Rural Kansas
Roy Lavere Fund was born on June 13, 1919, at the family farm northeast of Goff in Nemaha County, Kansas. He was the youngest son of William Howard Fund and his wife, and one of five brothers in a close-knit farming family. Raised in a rural setting, Roy grew up helping on the family farm and living a quiet agricultural life. He completed grammar school and continued working on the farm into young adulthood. Roy registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, listing his occupation as “self-employed farmer.” His draft card described him as 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 175 pounds, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a dark complexion.
Enlistment and Early Military Service
In November 1940, Roy enlisted in the Kansas National Guard in Holton and was formally inducted into the U.S. Army on December 23, 1940. He was assigned to Company E of the 137th Infantry Regiment, part of the 35th Infantry Division. This unit, composed largely of National Guard soldiers from Kansas, began intensive training as the United States prepared for possible entry into the growing global conflict.
While stationed at Camp Robinson in Arkansas in early 1941, Roy was promoted to Private First Class and visited fellow soldiers in other batteries. However, his military path was not without personal setbacks. In March 1942, Roy was hospitalized in Springfield, Missouri, for a spinal injury he had sustained as a child. Following surgery and a period of recovery, he was granted furlough to return home before rejoining his unit.
Deployment to Europe and Health Challenges
After months of stateside service, Roy and his division were eventually sent overseas. They arrived in England in early 1944 to prepare for Operation Overlord—the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. As D-Day approached, Roy fell ill again—this time with mumps—and was hospitalized in June 1944. Despite this illness, records indicate that he recovered and returned to duty in time to join his unit on the European continent.
Combat and Sacrifice in France
Sergeant Roy Fund was among the thousands of soldiers who entered combat in France following the D-Day invasion. His unit, the 137th Infantry Regiment, was engaged in fierce fighting during the Normandy campaign in July 1944. On July 14, 1944—just one day after his 25th birthday—Roy was killed in action. He suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the upper body during battle.
News of his death was delivered to his parents via telegram from the War Department, making Roy the first soldier from the Goff community to die in World War II. The community mourned deeply, recognizing the loss not only to his family but also to the town as a whole.
Memorial and Burial in Normandy
A memorial service was held in his honor on September 10, 1944, at the Goff High School auditorium. Rev. Walter Carson from the Christian Church of Soldier, Kansas, delivered the message, and the local American Legion post conducted the military rites.
Roy Lavere Fund was laid to rest in Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, in Plot J, Row 2, Grave 24. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for giving his life in service to his country.
Legacy
Roy left behind four brothers—Mirl, Walter, Dale, and Harold—and a large extended family, including his aunt, Mrs. Louis Moser of Sabetha. His father, William H. Fund, was also originally from Sabetha, connecting Roy to two Nemaha County communities that grieved his loss.
Sergeant Roy Lavere Fund is remembered as a determined and patriotic young man who overcame illness and injury to serve his country. His ultimate sacrifice in the fight for freedom in Europe ensures that his name is etched not only in the cemeteries of Normandy but also in the hearts of his hometown community.