Marie Slater
Marie H. Slater, 100, died Feb. 1, 2004, at Holiday Resort, Emporia.
Born Jan. 8, 1904, at Clearwater, she was the daughter of Charles Alfred and Matilda (Blumenshine) Whittaker.
She graduated from Clearwater High School in 1922 and entered Phillips University at Enid, Okla. She graduated from Phillips Drama School in 1926. The following two summers she traveled with Cadmean Chautauqua as a dramatic and humorous reader. Her travels took her to Colorado, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Kansas.
She began a teaching career that included five years at Jefferson, Okla., and 25 years in Kansas, including Florence, Summit rural school, and Clearwater.
In 1957 she earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Bethel College, Newton. She retired in 1968.
On Aug. 25, 1934, she married Floyd Slater of Peabody. They moved to a farm south of Florence in 1940. They left Florence in 1956 and moved to Clearwater until her husband retired. They returned to the farm near Florence.
She was a lifetime member of the Christian church and a life member of Kansas Retired Teachers' Association, as well as a member of Eastern Star, NEA, and the Florence Historical Society.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and two brothers, Allen and Lloyd Whitaker.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Gene Pruitt of Emporia; a son, Harold Slater of Albuquerque, N.M.; three grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Florence Christian Church with Pastor Larry Timm officiating.
Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery.
A memorial fund has been established with the church.
