Mason Royden Astley, Jr.

Mason Royden Astley, Jr., known as Roy Astley, died suddenly of natural causes on Wednesday, May 31, at his home in Vero Beach, Florida at the age of 76.

A memorial service will be held 3-6 p.m., Saturday, July 15, 2017 at The Unitarian Universalist Church, 401 Kings Hwy N, Cherry Hill, HJ 08034.

Dr. Roy Astley was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 25, 1940. He was the elder son of Edna Lockhart Astley (born Edna Bothwell Lockhart) of Jacksonville, FL, and Mason Royden Casselberry Astley of Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Astley leaves his wife Christine Bruce Astley (born Christine Marian Bruce); his daughter Anne Astley Padnuk (born Anne Christine Lockhart Astley) and her husband, Ryan Serge Padnuk, and their two daughters, Arya Marian and Leela Lockhart Padnuk of Vero Beach, FL ; his son, Mason Mills Astley (born Mason Royden Astley III), his wife Christina Mills Astley (born Christina Elisabeth Mills), and their two sons, Alexander Scot (known as Xander) and Atticus Enzo Astley of Boston, MA; and his brother Malcolm Lockhart Astley of Wayland, MA.

Dr. Astley received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Harvard University and his Doctor of Education degree in counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was later licensed as a psychologist in Massachusetts. His career involved positions as a counselor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, and the Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts, and as a tutor with numerous students in the area, focused on SAT preparation and related counseling. He lived most of his adult life in Worcester, MA, and moved to Vero Beach, FL, in the summer of 2015.

His interests were many and intense, including chess and music from an early age, and later bridge; football, tennis, and squash; and many other sports along the way as a spectator and fan. He was an excellent and sensitive listener as well as highly reflective on the intricacies of life. He remained well read throughout his life and was a keen observer within and discussant of the course of human affairs. His warm, good humored and caring presence, as well as his strong intellect will be deeply missed. His grandchildren loved calling him Zeus. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund: www.LaurenDunneAstleyMemorialFund.org