Roy C. Raiser’s story begins on a small farm in MiamiVille, Ohio, where he grew up with his parents, James and Julia, and his three brothers, Elmer, Ike, and Tony. His childhood was spent in a broken-down house on a 44-acre farm, where the family had very little but worked together to keep the farm running.
Growing Up With Responsibility
Roy’s father suffered from an enlarged heart and could not work. The family was poor, and everyone had responsibilities on the farm, including the children. When Roy was fourteen, his father passed away. His oldest brother, Elmer, soon joined the military, leaving Roy as the next oldest boy in the family.
At only fourteen, Roy became the man of the house. He was responsible for helping take care of his mother and two younger brothers while continuing to attend school. This was a major change during his childhood, and the responsibilities came at an age when most young people were still being cared for by their parents.
Making Everything Count
After his father died, the family lost his Social Security check. Roy and his younger brothers received survivor benefits, but there was very little money. The family depended heavily on what they could grow and raise on their farm.
Roy worked with the crops and animals and understood that a good harvest was important to the family. His mother preserved vegetables for the winter, while the family stored potatoes, onions, turnips, apples, and other food. When they had more vegetables than they needed, Roy helped sell the extra produce at the farm stand near the road.
His childhood taught him that everything had to count: the crops, the animals, the family’s time, and the work each person contributed.
Leaving School to Work
When Roy was fifteen, he found work at a pallet factory, where he learned to build skids and pallets. Because he was a minor, the foreman eventually could not allow him to continue working without permission.
Roy returned to the farm, cutting wood for the stove and taking care of the pigs and chickens. He knew that he needed to work and make money to help his family.
He went to the school principal himself and explained his situation. He told the principal about his father’s death, his responsibilities at home, and the need to earn money. The principal gave him permission to leave school so he could return to the pallet company.
Learning Through Hard Work
Roy worked at the pallet company while continuing to help on the farm. He gave his mother money each week to help buy groceries. His mother also worked around the farm, feeding the chickens and pigs and doing what she could to keep the family going.
Looking back, Roy recognized how important the farm had been. The family worked together to survive, and he believed they might have struggled even more if they had lived somewhere without the land and animals they depended upon.
These experiences became an important part of Roy’s story. His childhood was not comfortable or easy, but it gave him an early understanding of responsibility, work, family, and making the most of what was available.
The Road Toward The Army
By the time Roy was seventeen, he had taken on even more responsibility. After the pallet company was sold, the new owner asked him to become foreman because he knew how the business worked. Roy accepted the job and oversaw the facility.
Around this period, his mother met Earl, a man Roy respected. As their relationship progressed, Roy felt that he was in the way. He eventually came up with a solution: joining the Army.
That decision would take him away from the Ohio farm and begin a completely different chapter of his life. At eighteen, Roy entered the Army, beginning the journey that would eventually take him to Vietnam.
Roy’s childhood on that small Ohio farm was therefore more than the beginning of his story. It was the place where he learned to work, provide for his family, and accept responsibility at a young age. Those early years formed the foundation for the young soldier he would become.
For more about Roy’s story and latest updates, visit his official website: Roy C. Raisor. Get your copy of his memoir here on Amazon: Boy to Man in 365 Days.
