Stans C. Sluder

STANS C. SLUDER Stans Chastine Sluder, 83, of 2695 New Leicester Highway, Leicester, went home to be with the Lord unexpectedly on Wednesday, December 19, 2007, at his home. Mr. Sluder was a native of Leicester and was preceded in death by his parents, Mark J. and Lucy Israel Sluder, a sister, LeVenia Allen, and a brother, R. Glenn Sluder. He was a 1941 graduate and valedictorian at Leicester High School and a graduate of the Hobart Welding School in Troy, OH. He attended NC State University and was a graduate of Blanton’s Business College. Mr. Sluder served on board the USS Bataan Aircraft Carrier with the US Navy during WW II. He was a member of the original faculty upon the establishment of Asheville Buncombe Technical Institute. He served as Division Director, Vocational Industrial Division of A-B Tech where he was instructor and Chairman of the Welding Department until his retirement in 1992. He was active in the community and was always wiling to help anyone in need. He served on the Advisory Committee of Leicester School, Erwin High School and the Orthopedic School, which he was instrumental in helping to found. He was also the first chief of the Leicester VFD. His interests and activities included hunting, gardening and traveling with the WNC Airstream Unit 169. He and his wife were also active with western style square dancing. Mr. Sluder was a man of faith who will be sorely missed. He was a member of Leicester United Methodist Church where he was Chair of the Administrative Council, Youth Sunday School Teacher, and active with practically every church committee. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 60 years, Juanita Redmond Sluder; one daughter, Penny Dawn Sluder of the home; one son, Stephen Kent Sluder and his wife, Elaine, of Asheville; three grandchildren, Stephen Kent Sluder II and Camille and Katherine Sluder; two step-granddaughters, Christina Ammons and Abby Herron and three step-great-grandchildren, Gage, Heath and Tori. Mr. Sluder has three sisters, Marie Merrell of Jamestown, Wilma Morgan and her husband, Porter, of Asheville, and Louise Foster and her husband, Paul, of Leicester; three brothers, Harold W. Sluder and his wife, Patsy, of Arden, Arliss A. Sluder, and Ronald B. Sluder and his wife, Joyce, of Leicester; and one brother-in-law, Dr. Jay Allen of Johnson City, TN. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Sunday at Leicester United Methodist Church with the Revs. Wendell Brittain and Enoch Ball, Jr. officiating. Burial will be at Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery with military honors being provided by the Mars Hill VFW Post 5483. His family will receive from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Saturday at Leicester United Methodist Church. Flowers will be appreciated or memorials may be made to Leicester United Methodist Church, PO Box 64, Leicester, NC 28748, or to the Leicester VFD, PO Box 100, Leicester, NC 28748, or to the United Cerebral Palsy, 1660 L Street, Washington, DC 20036. Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue is in charge of the arrangements.