It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of my brother, Royce McCluskey Jr, early this morning, June 10, 2025. Royce was a proud (and stubborn) man who spent the last 15 months battling an illness that very few people were aware of. One of his "goals" when given his diagnosis in February of 2024 was to make it to double nickels (55) as he called it. He reached that goal in January of this year - far too young for the end to be so imminent.

I was blessed to be one of the few people that Royce shared his journey with. I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Royce in the past year, traveling to Maine multiple times to just spend time with him, helping with what I could, and listening to countless stories that sounded more like something from a Tom Sawyer novel than real life. He loved sharing his stories. There was so much about my brother that I did not know. He had me laughing with stories of hopping trains in White Haven and riding them to Mountain Top and back - something that I could never imagine doing but seemed so natural to him. He told me the story of a tour bus crossing the river from East Side to White Haven and stopping to ask a couple of young boys about the swimming. A few moments later, he and some friends were enjoying the cool water of the Lehigh with members of Blue Oyster Cult. He shared stories of fishing with his friends, causing trouble when nobody was looking, sneaking vegetables from local gardens to snack on, and just living his best life and doing what he wanted to do on his terms.

He moved to Maine in 1987 and never looked back. He loved the woods and the slower pace of life. He loved fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and 4-wheeling. He worked hard and he played hard. He had no regrets. He met his longtime partner in the early 1990s and together they built a life they loved. Royce worked at the sawmill and Jeannie took care of Royce. It was a match made in Heaven. Jeannie passed in 2018 and left a large void in Royce's life and heart.

When Royce was diagnosed in early 2023, he was forced to stop working and take care of his health. Because of his pride, Royce did it alone. He didn't reach out for financial assistance but instead lived off his meager savings. With few expenses, he was able to make what little he did have stretch until the end. For the last 4 months of his life, Royce stayed confined to his home - sometimes not even leaving his couch for days on end. He did not want to ask for help - even from medical staff - and it was heartbreaking to watch him suffer.

As we navigate this unimaginable loss, I am deeply committed to honoring his final wishes. With no life insurance or savings left, the financial burden of finalizing his personal obligations as well as memorial/funeral expenses that we are facing are solely on me and my family. His wishes were simple - any donations would be used to cover cremation and memorial service costs. His final resting place will be in White Haven with our dad. Memorial details are still being arranged, and I will keep everyone updated as we have more information. Thank you to everyone for your help.