A biochemist, Roy was the chief chemist of Florida Foods. In 1946, Roy was experimenting with vacuum equipment from World War II that was used to dehydrate food and drugs for the military. The object of his tests: orange juice.
“My father developed it to the point where it could be sold to housewives in grocery stores,” said his daughter, Patricia R. Edwards. The company did just that, starting the next year using its new name: Minute Maid. The Coca Cola company bought Minute Maid in 1960; Roy helped that company develop its Fresca and Fanta drinks. He retired in 1970, but stayed with the company for years as a consultant. He died June 16 in Orlando at age 97.