LAFAYETTE, La. — Friends, colleagues and community members across Acadiana are remembering former KATC weatherman Ed Roy, a trusted presence on local television for more than two decades. Roy, who spent 20 years delivering weather forecasts for TV-3, died recently at age 76.
Roy, a well-known figure in Lafayette Parish, was also celebrated for his longtime love of music. Just last year, KATC sat down with Roy and his barbershop quartet for an interview that highlighted his passion for singing. Click here for that story.
Jonathan Brent Prather, a member of Oxytocin 5, the group Roy performed with, said their friendship stretched back to high school.
“Singing with Ed was a real pleasure for me for about three years,” Prather said. “Ed is somebody I met in the ninth grade when he was in the twelfth grade. I remembered him as a local celebrity. We were proud of him."
From 1975 to 1995, Roy served as KATC’s weatherman, becoming a reliable source for Acadiana residents who turned to him for updates during critical moments.
“I'm going to miss Ed’s humor. I'm going to miss his friendliness,” Prather said. “We shared a lot of good meals together through the years. He loved his family, he loved his friends, so we all miss him.”
Roy’s warmth extended beyond the studio. During one of his broadcasts, he shared a message that viewers still recall: “No matter what you do, please keep sunshine in your heart forever and ever.”
Roy’s son, Courtney Roy, shared a message on social media:
"Thank you to everyone who kept him in your thoughts, lifted him in prayer, and supported our family during these incredibly difficult days. Your messages, love, and faith meant more than you know.
My dad was a devoted Catholic, a man who loved deeply and lived generously. He had a kind heart, a steady faith, and a way of making everyone he met feel seen and cared for. He loved his family, his friends, and his community with everything he had.
Though our hearts are broken, we find comfort in knowing he is now at peace, held in God’s arms, and reunited with those who went before him. Please continue to keep our family in your prayers as we navigate this tremendous loss."
