Richard E Slack

RICHARD E. SLACK

1917-2015

Richard Ezell Slack was born July 4, 1917, in Sanford, Florida, a firecracker from the beginning. He was the youngest of four children, following a sister, Wilhemina, and two brothers, Newton and James. Dick spent his childhood years in Deland, Florida, graduating from Deland High in 1935. In high school he was on the football and baseball team, and helped to start the Christian club on campus. One never-to-be-forgotten event of his youth was when the family home burned to the ground, with all their earthly possessions. But the family was safe, and he knew he still had what was important.

Following high school he joined the CCC's where he enjoyed the challenge of a hard day's work and the incentive of earning money to send home to his family. It was the Great Depression and every penny counted. When war broke out, he enlisted in the Navy as an airplane mechanic. A game changing moment of his life came when his cousin Beatrice introduced him to her friend, Iris Kizer, a beautiful young redhead who caught his eye and captured his heart. They were married October 13, 1944, and Dick was immediately deployed to San Diego. Iris soon joined him there, and they lived in San Diego and Monterey for the duration of the war.

Dick and Iris settled in Napa, CA, where their two sons, Steven and Stuart, were born. Dick was an auto mechanic before being hired at Kaiser Steel where he worked until retirement. Retirement brought many more adventures, like honing his photography skills, and traveling around the world and in the States. When Iris retired, they joined Mobile Missionary Assistance Program (MMAP), to help Christian organizations with building projects and other needs. Later Dick joined the Gideons, helping to place Bibles around the world and throughout the States. 

Dick is survived by his two sons, Steven of Albany, Oregon, and Stuart of Napa, California. He is also survived by four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He will be remembered by all who knew him for his sense of humor, work ethic, and love which knew no bounds.

A service to honor his life will be held Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 10:30am in the Tulocay Chapel.  Memorial contributions may be made to Gideon's International, PO Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214-0800; https://www.gideons.org/HowYouCanHelp/generaldonations.aspx  Memories and words of sympathy may be shared with the family on-line at ww.tulocaycemetery.org.

 Service Information