John William Slaton

August 12, 1924 – January 30, 2025

John William Slaton, 100, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 30, 2025 in Vero Beach, Florida, where he had resided for the past 33 years.

John was born to parents Jane and Clifton Slaton on August 12, 1924, in Louisville, KY and grew up during the Great Depression. John was proud to be part of the "Greatest Generation." After high school, he was accepted into the AAF's Meteorology Program at Vanderbilt University, where he celebrated his 18th birthday. (The program was disbanded nation-wide by the end of 1943 when the Army determined no additional meteorologists were needed.) He went onto serve in World War II as a corporal in the 16th fighter squadron of the 14th Army Air Forces (AAF), serving in China and Burma. After the war, he graduated from Speed Scientific School at the University of Louisville with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering and then from New York University with a Masters in Business Administration.

John had a highly successful career working primarily in marketing for chemical companies including ICI America, FMC, Monsanto, CIBA, and Ferro Corporation. He retired in 1989 as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for Ferro Corporation in Cleveland, OH.

In 1951, John married Alice Love ("Lovey") Handley (November 10, 1920 – May 13, 2022) and over 71 happy and loving years together lived in Illinois, Ohio, Delaware, Missouri, New Jersey, and Ohio again before settling in Vero Beach, Florida and summering at their home in Mountain Glen in Newland, North Carolina after John's retirement.

John loved his family and was a favorite uncle to his nieces and nephews. He had a great sense of humor and a generous, caring heart. He was also the life of the party. Among John's prized possessions were his KLH speakers and later, his Teac reel-to-reel. He loved classical music, show tunes, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Keely Smith, Diana Krall, and was also a fan of Bruce Springsteen. He loved to crank the stereo up and sing to "King of the Road" and dance to "Zorba the Greek." He went through a period of waking his girls up on Saturday mornings by blaring "76 Trombones" and marching into their rooms and around their beds. He and Lovey loved to dance and their favorite song to dance to was "Cab Driver." Other activities they loved to share included playing bridge, tennis, and traveling.

John was a huge college basketball fan, always rooting for his alma mater, U of L, and was delighted when one of his daughters asked to have a basketball hoop installed in the driveway. (His wife was less of a fan when she managed to hit the pole it was mounted on while pulling out of the garage.) He taught his girls how to play softball and tennis and was their #1 fan at all their sporting events. When they were very young, he taught them to ice skate at the local pond and always had Chapstick and wintergreen lifesavers in his pocket to help comfort them after a spill on the ice. He was a natural athlete and played tennis, squash, racquet ball, golf, and loved to sail.

John was an avid reader. His favorite reads were The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Chemical and Engineering News, The New Yorker, and books on history. After both girls graduated college, his Christmas gift to them every year was an annual subscription to The New Yorker.

John's memory will be cherished by his two daughters, Melissa Jane Slaton and Carolyn Lee Neel and her husband, Daniel E. Neel, grandchildren Monica Denise Clay, Zachery James Neel (Hope) and Lacey Danielle Huff (Mike), and his beloved nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his wife, Alice Love Slaton "Lovey", his brother, Clifton Slaton, and sisters Ruth Long, Jane Nevitt, and Thelma Germany.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

John's life was full of family, friendships, love, and laughter. He wished the same joy for others. In lieu of flowers, please raise a toast to John and do something that would make him smile, or better yet, laugh.