Richard was a the elder of two sons born to Paul H. and Margaret C. Royer. While attending Abilene High School, he held various class offices, was a member of the Kansas State Championship Debate Team of 1939 and 1940, a member of the National Honor Society and was Salutatorian of the graduating class of 1941. After graduation, he attended the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. After only one year, he left school in 1942 to serve his country with the Army Air Corps. While in the Air Corps, he was assigned to B29s in the 73rd Wing, 20th Air Force in the Asiatic Theater. He received an Honorable discharge in 1945 as a First Lieutenant. Following his discharge, he returned to the University of Kansas to continue the studies interrupted by World War II. In 1947, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Law with honors from the University of Kansas. Later, he received a Bachelor of Law, LLB and Juris Doctor in 1949 from the University of Kansas' School of Law. He returned to Abilene to practice law with his father and brother in the firm of Royer and Royer. After several years, Richard left the law firm to pursue a career in banking. He was the Executive Vice-President of the St Marys State Bank in St Marys, Kansas for many years. At the time of his death, he was Vice-President and Senior Trust Officer of the Peoples State Bank of Pratt, Kansas. Richard continued to further his education throughout his lifetime, with courses at Washburn University in psychology, graduate business, cultural anthropology and statistics. He was a member of Sachem (Senior Men's Honor Society), Owl Society (Junior Men's Honor Society), Delta Sigma Rho (Honorary Speech Fraternity), Beta Theta Pi (Social Fraternity of which he was president in 1947), a member of the University of Kansas Varsity Debate Team, and Phi Delta Phi (Social Legal Fraternity). He married the former Frances Bonero, and they had two daughters, Katherine and Paula, and two sons, Mark and Christian. He later married the former Jennie Wano. He also had four step-children, Linda, Cindy, Dane, and Mark.