Roy Henry Drinkard Obituary, CULLMAN, Ala. — Roy Henry Drinkard, a World War II veteran, businessman, developer and longtime civic leader who helped shape Cullman for more than seven decades, passed away Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026. He was 106. His family confirmed his death to The Cullman Tribune, while funeral arrangements had not yet been announced.
Drinkard was born July 12, 1920, in Falkville and later attended St. Bernard Preparatory School in Cullman. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served during World War II. After the war, he operated a funeral home in Guntersville before returning to Cullman, where he became a partner in Drinkard Pontiac-GMC in 1949 and later opened Drinkard Chevrolet Company in 1955.
His business career eventually expanded beyond automobiles through Drinkard Development, which developed and managed shopping centers, theaters, medical complexes, apartments and other commercial properties across several states. His Cullman developments included Marktplatz Shopping Center, Arnold Village Shopping Center, Town Square Shopping Center and King Edward Shopping Center. He was recognized as Kmart’s leading developer in 1981 and Kroger’s leading developer in 1982.
Drinkard also played a significant role in Cullman’s industrial and economic development. He was the last surviving member of The Flying Fifty, a group of local business and civic leaders who traveled throughout the country seeking industry and investment for Cullman following World War II. He later served as chairman of the Cullman Industrial Development Board for nearly 30 years, helping recruit companies including King Edward Cigar, Bendix-Westinghouse, Americold and National Screw.
His commitment to education and civic service extended well beyond economic development. Drinkard donated land for educational facilities for Cullman County Schools, helped raise thousands of dollars for college scholarships and remained involved with Troy University for decades. He was appointed to the Troy University Board of Trustees in 2000 and was reappointed twice, most recently in 2020, continuing his service beyond his 100th birthday.
Drinkard received numerous honors throughout his lifetime. The Cullman Times named him Cullman’s Outstanding Citizen of the Century, while the City of Cullman presented him with the key to the city in 2017. He also received the Great American Hero Award and the Dr. Jack Hawkins Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025. At his 105th birthday celebration, Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. described him as “a national treasure.”
At the time of his death, Drinkard was recognized as the nation’s oldest living U.S. Marine. His patriotism remained visible throughout his later years, including appearances leading the Pledge of Allegiance at a 2021 rally in Cullman and during the final day of the Alabama Legislature’s 2025 regular session. He also remained closely connected to his family, First Baptist Church of Cullman, where he had been a member for more than 75 years, and the wider community.
Drinkard spent his final years reflecting on the importance of faith, family, friendships and service. After spending 123 days in the hospital during his final year, he returned home before celebrating his 106th birthday on July 12, 2026. His passing six weeks later marked the end of a life that spanned more than a century and left a lasting imprint on Cullman through business, civic leadership, education and personal relationships. His memory will endure through the people and institutions he supported, and condolences are extended to his family, friends and the Cullman community as they mourn his passing.