MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO
ROY (POP) & KITTY BINKLEY
Roy “Pop” Binkley’s
Memorial and 90th Birthday Tribute
10/05/1931 – 08/07/2021
Welcome! If you have made it to this page, we consider you to be either family or friends of our beloved, Roy “Pop” Binkley. It has been a couple of months since we lost Roy, and we miss him very much. He was a great man, and his family felt he deserved to be honored with a memorial and be paid the proper respects due him.
Originally, it was the family’s intent to have an in-person Celebration of Life service for him; but because of the Covid virus, they felt it was best to honor him with a video presentation and avoid being a possible source of furthering its spread. We certainly appreciate your understanding of this decision.
With this said, since October 5th would have been his 90th birthday, the family decided that showing the tribute video on this special day would be our gift to him, and it would allow our wonderful family and friends to share in this salute. So, we hope you enjoy experiencing some of the memories and highlights from his long and well-lived 90 years! He truly was a man that touched many, and after watching this video, we hope you will see that he loved much and was loved in return. We were blessed to have him in our lives. Thank you for stopping by to pay your respects, please feel free to sign the guest book below and may God bless you.
Sincerely,
The Family of Roy Binkley
Kitty Binkley
Celebration of Life Tribute
06/17/1941 – 05/06/2024
Anna Binkley Gregory
As the only surviving sibling of the 12-children Binkley clan, and sister to Roy, Harold as I knew him, this tribute was befitting of the man well-loved and well-lived. Because of our age difference, Harold was more of a father figure in my early years. He was looked up to in the family for his knowledge and success in many aspects of his life. As is always the case, I wish I had been closer to him in the living years, but I am grateful to have grown closer in the last year of his life. Rest in peace my brother…your life on earth has meant so much to so many, including me. I love you and live in the hope of being reunited with you and the other family members in heaven one day.❤️
Rosemary Ellis Graves
Roy was a first Cousin of mine.Sadly we didn’t get to see him very often.It seems like Families don’t get together any more unless when their is a funeral.The last I seen him was at. Family. Reunion
Then from their Charlies funeral.He will be missed.loveand prayers to the Family.
Mary Toungette
My forever dearest friends. Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful memories. Kippi, you did a great job with this and I know your family will cherish it for the rest of your lives. I am sitting here with chills from watching this. I m so sorry for your loss of such a wonderful man- a husband, father, grandfather, Great grandfather. I feel your pain. As you can remember our families came together many years ago when Kippi and Melissa were doing their things in competitions. What great memories we have of your beautiful family and especially Roy. He was such a kind man and loved his family so much. He always made our visits feel welcome. He will forever be missed.
Pat and Phyllis McGee
Tribute to Mr. Roy
My wife Phyllis and I moved to Goodlettsville in 2010. We had lived for 33 years in Hermitage, but the 2010 flood sent us on a quest for a new home and that is how we landed In Goodlettsville just a backyard away from a man I quickly came to admire. Mr. Roy. When I think of him now, I remember him as a guy that walked softly but carried a big wrench. I know that because as a kid I was an ever-present spectator on Saturday nights at the races at the Fairgrounds Speedway.
It started in the days of Coo Coo Marlin, Bullet Bob Reuther, Malcolm Brady, Red Farmer, P. B. Crowell, and a bit later, Charlie Binkley. Back then I didn’t know that Charlie had a brother who built the engines and cars that powered him to such great success. I’ve always been as interested in the behind-the-scenes folk who play such a large and unheralded role in the success of the stars as I have been in the stars themselves. In music, I was just as interested in the session musicians as I was the superstars. And, in racing, it is the mechanics and pit crew members who catch my attention.
Once I got to know Roy and saw how much of a gentleman he was and got to know his soft-spoken down-to-earth way, I immediately liked him. That like turned into respect and then admiration for what he had accomplished in racing and in life. I listened to his stories which I consumed like candy and I looked forward to the next. If I found myself stumped as to what was wrong with my car, I knew that Roy would help me sort it all out with just a few questions that made me think it through with him and it always resulted in a found solution. I liked the way he laughed at my corny jokes. And I relished the bright, the very bright twinkle in his eyes when he did.
He was already on in years by the time I met him. One day as I was working away in my home office, I glanced up to see him digging holes to plant his tomato plants. He would dig for a few minutes and then stop and rest and then dig again. That stop and go routine went on for only a few minutes before I dropped what I was doing to lend a hand. I dug his tomato holes quickly as he coached me through exactly how wide and how deep the holes should be, and I learned why his race engines were the best . . . He left no specification, no tolerance to chance. It didn’t matter if it was valve clearances or tomato plants, his attention to detail was daunting.
His drive and determination were also inspiring. Another time I looked out my office window and saw Roy literally lying on the ground as he patched and sealed the edges of his driveway. He had severe back issues that prevented him from leaning over or even working in a squatting position, you see. He was determined to get that driveway patching job done, so he just worked lying down. I have thought about that a lot and realize now how that “can do” attitude must have been another key to his success in life. Thank you, Roy, for that learning moment that I will put in my pocket for later.
Getting to know Roy and Kitty and then Kippy and Bob so well has been one of the real highlights of our move to Goodlettsville. It took a Federally declared disaster to do it, but I wish it had happened 25 years earlier so that I could have had more time with Mr. Roy.
We all hurt now. It’s a bit selfish on our part, but none of us can help it. That’s just the way it is. We hurt because we won’t have him anymore. We won’t see that twinkle in his eyes anymore. We won’t receive those big, juicy tomatoes that he took such pleasure in sharing anymore. And we won’t get schooled in engine diagnostics by someone whose accomplishments we so admired anymore. But, for Mr. Roy, the pain he felt in his back is over. The frustration of not being able to dig holes for his tomatoes has ended. And he won’t have to lie down to do something ever again. He’s whole. He’s happy. He’s fulfilled.
To Kitty, Kippy, Bob, Randy, and Roy Jr. as well as the rest of the family that I do not know, I extend heartfelt sympathy and the prayers of both myself and those of Phyllis. It will not seem possible now, but soon the memories of his life so well lived will drive away the sadness and hurt you now feel. And when that day comes and you think of him, he’ll be looking down at you and he’ll be smiling. You’ll smile too and it will bring a twinkle to your eyes, and you will know exactly where it came from.
Godspeed, Roy.
Ronnie Smith
It was a honor to have known Roy and enjoy his company with racing and life in general. Finding out with his passing we share the same birthday and the same brotherhood in the United States Marine Corps makes a bond that I will always cherish. Rest In Peace Roy and Semper Fi.
JUDY BINKLEY KENT
Growing up as a Binkley, racing and family was what we did….
Babysat for uncle Harold and aunt Kitty. Actually I was just a kid myself.
Beautiful tribute to a wonderful man
My husband and I used to go to Tunica more than we should. Ran into uncle Harold and aunt Kitty there. Loved it but all of us where so into the fun, Didn’t visit much. Crazy how I looked at them and thought, well now I am a adult like them. They were IN LOVE still, just like us. Great feeling. He was a great person, reminded me of daddy (Billy) his older brother. Great role model for all. Loved by so many and missed deeply.
Linda Binkley Hackney
Dad, I didn’t t get to spend time with you in later years but I do remember the early years that we shared! I wished we could have been closer thru the years but life moves on. May you REST IN PEACE!
Happy Birthday!!!
With Love,
Linda Gail
Sharon Brown
I didn’t know Roy,personally.I knew of him,from the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway,and brother Charlie’s race car.My husband and i were race fans.This was one of the most beautiful tributes,to a person,such as Roy,that i’ve ever seen.There was so much love,expressed from all,it was so moving.It brought tears to my eyes,and made me want to have a service like Roy’s.If it’s okay,may i ask,who did this video service for you.And i loved the ending,hoping ,his passing,would bring someone to the Lord.Bless you all, for such a loving family.
Susie McKenna
I loved this man and Mama Kitty from the 1st day I met them. I used to drop by or mail them my famous cookies and sometimes some Chicken & Dumplings’ for Kippi… I was known as their cookie fairy (name given to me by them) I was Blessed to have met Kippi years ago and remained very close. When I had to move back to Indy to help my mama I still made it back to Nashville once a month or so but always had to drop offf my cookies. Pop was an amazingly sweet sweet man.. thanks for letting me have a moment in time w/ knowing him