There was plenty of seating inside -- with a band of windows around the room, spacious tables and a friendly counter at the front where you could perch on a stool and chow-down!
The decor was a pastel pink and the floor was checker-board grey & black. Young kids would work the parking lot as 'car-hops,' delivering the yummy food to your vehicle's window for take-out service.
Thick-cut Bar-B-Q ribs...cooked till the meat was fall'n-off-the-bone -- and a dollop of rich, thick 'n tasty sauce -- it makes your mouth water and taste buds tingle just thinking - just remembering all the fine meals - all from the gifted hands and the busy kitchen of Roy Hemphill!
Hemphill ran the restaurant for 15 years before retiring. His fragrant smoked meats -- his delicious Barb-B-Que -- combined with all the side orders -- it was a great spot for years. Now that it is gone - "ROY'S BAR-B-QUE" remains one of the most discussed 'long lost and sorely missed businesses' in the Four-State-Area!
When Roy retired, the restaurant stayed open a few years. It was eventually sold. The new owner's name was added and it transformed into another popular ROUTE 66 spot known from coast to coast as: "KELLER'S BAR-B-QUE".
Roy's wife was Rosa Mae Hemphill
His sons were Jack, Lloyd Lee and Joe William
Brothers: Leon Hemphill, Earl Hemphill and Herman Hemphill
Roy belonged to the Empire Baptist Church and Joplin Elks Lodge
Sisters: Cleo Hemphill Revels and Alma Hemphill Shaw
Mother: Mary Hemphill
Below is the article from Joplin News Herald December 12, 1955
HEART ATTACK PROVES FATAL TO W. R. HEMPHILL
William Roy Hemphill, 58 years old, retired businessman, suffered a heart attack at 12:30 o'clock this morning in his West Thirteenth Street home and was taken to St. John's Hospital where he died at 2:15 o'clock, less than two hours later.
Mr. Hemphill was born December 2, 1896 in Golden City, Missouri and had lived in Joplin for 25 years. He operated Roy's barbecue, Seventh street and Maiden Lane for 15 years before retiring in 1945. He was a member of the Empire Baptist Church and the Elks Lodge.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Rosa Mae Hemphill;
two sons; Jack Hemphill of Springfield and William Hemphill of Houston, Texas
three brothers; Leon Hemphill, Earl Hemphill and Herman Hemphill of Miami, Oklahoma
two sisters; Mrs. Cleo Revels of Miami Oklahoma and Mrs. Alma Shaw of Hayward, California. his mother was Mrs. Nancy Hemphill of Miami, Oklahoma and
five grandchildren
Funeral arrangements by Steve Parker Mortuary, Joplin, Missouri
Excerpt follow-up to first obituary announcement was found in the newspaper the next day and by shared by Floyd 'Smitty' Smith
【4B—Joplin Globe, Tuesday, December, 13, 1955】
Funeral services for William Roy Hemphill, 58 years old, who died at 2:15 o'clock yesterday morning at St. John's hospital, will be conducted at 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon at the Empire Baptist church. The Rev. Archie Warren and the Rev. Thurman D. Kelley will officiate and burial will be in Osborne Memorial cemetery, under direction of the Steve Parker mortuary.
Mr. Hemphill, a retired businessman, suffered a heart attack at 12:30 o'clock yesterday morning in his West Thirteenth street home. He was born December 2, 1896 [sic], in Golden City, Mo., and had lived in Joplin for 25 years.
He operated Roy's barbecue, Seventh street and Maiden Lane, for 15 years before retiring in 1945. He was a member of the Empire Baptist church and the Elks lodge.
There was plenty of seating inside -- with a band of windows around the room, spacious tables and a friendly counter at the front where you could perch on a stool and chow-down!
The decor was a pastel pink and the floor was checker-board grey & black. Young kids would work the parking lot as 'car-hops,' delivering the yummy food to your vehicle's window for take-out service.
Thick-cut Bar-B-Q ribs...cooked till the meat was fall'n-off-the-bone -- and a dollop of rich, thick 'n tasty sauce -- it makes your mouth water and taste buds tingle just thinking - just remembering all the fine meals - all from the gifted hands and the busy kitchen of Roy Hemphill!
Hemphill ran the restaurant for 15 years before retiring. His fragrant smoked meats -- his delicious Barb-B-Que -- combined with all the side orders -- it was a great spot for years. Now that it is gone - "ROY'S BAR-B-QUE" remains one of the most discussed 'long lost and sorely missed businesses' in the Four-State-Area!
When Roy retired, the restaurant stayed open a few years. It was eventually sold. The new owner's name was added and it transformed into another popular ROUTE 66 spot known from coast to coast as: "KELLER'S BAR-B-QUE".
Roy's wife was Rosa Mae Hemphill
His sons were Jack, Lloyd Lee and Joe William
Brothers: Leon Hemphill, Earl Hemphill and Herman Hemphill
Roy belonged to the Empire Baptist Church and Joplin Elks Lodge
Sisters: Cleo Hemphill Revels and Alma Hemphill Shaw
Mother: Mary Hemphill
Below is the article from Joplin News Herald December 12, 1955
HEART ATTACK PROVES FATAL TO W. R. HEMPHILL
William Roy Hemphill, 58 years old, retired businessman, suffered a heart attack at 12:30 o'clock this morning in his West Thirteenth Street home and was taken to St. John's Hospital where he died at 2:15 o'clock, less than two hours later.
Mr. Hemphill was born December 2, 1896 in Golden City, Missouri and had lived in Joplin for 25 years. He operated Roy's barbecue, Seventh street and Maiden Lane for 15 years before retiring in 1945. He was a member of the Empire Baptist Church and the Elks Lodge.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Rosa Mae Hemphill;
two sons; Jack Hemphill of Springfield and William Hemphill of Houston, Texas
three brothers; Leon Hemphill, Earl Hemphill and Herman Hemphill of Miami, Oklahoma
two sisters; Mrs. Cleo Revels of Miami Oklahoma and Mrs. Alma Shaw of Hayward, California. his mother was Mrs. Nancy Hemphill of Miami, Oklahoma and
five grandchildren
Funeral arrangements by Steve Parker Mortuary, Joplin, Missouri
Excerpt follow-up to first obituary announcement was found in the newspaper the next day and by shared by Floyd 'Smitty' Smith
【4B—Joplin Globe, Tuesday, December, 13, 1955】
Funeral services for William Roy Hemphill, 58 years old, who died at 2:15 o'clock yesterday morning at St. John's hospital, will be conducted at 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon at the Empire Baptist church. The Rev. Archie Warren and the Rev. Thurman D. Kelley will officiate and burial will be in Osborne Memorial cemetery, under direction of the Steve Parker mortuary.
Mr. Hemphill, a retired businessman, suffered a heart attack at 12:30 o'clock yesterday morning in his West Thirteenth street home. He was born December 2, 1896 [sic], in Golden City, Mo., and had lived in Joplin for 25 years.
He operated Roy's barbecue, Seventh street and Maiden Lane, for 15 years before retiring in 1945. He was a member of the Empire Baptist church and the Elks lodge.
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