Roger Dwain Slayton

Roger Dwain Slayton, 76, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri passed away on August 22, 2024, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, surrounded by his wife and children.

Roger was born on October 31, 1947, to Jesse and Effie Ward Slayton in Doniphan, Missouri.  He cherished his childhood, relishing the opportunities for mischief along the Little Black River.

Roger graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Vocational Agriculture Education and began teaching at Naylor R-II School district in Naylor, Missouri in 1970. He dedicated the subsequent twenty-nine years to attaining near-iconic status through his efforts to teach his students valuable leadership and life skills along with agriculture, welding and woodworking. Roger also sponsored the Future Farmers of America (FFA) local chapter and spent additional time umpiring baseball games, driving a school bus, and chaperoning student trips and other activities.

Roger served as Director of the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center from 1999-2003 where he established new programs in welding, auto collision repair and cosmetology. After his initial retirement, he taught another ten years at the Sears Youth Center. During his teaching career he volunteered as a Missouri Hunter Education Instructor and continued teaching well past retirement, earning the Missouri Lifetime Achievement Award for his fifty years of service.

All his life Roger was an avid outdoorsman and loved deer hunting and gigging fish in Current River. He enjoyed numerous other hobbies such as photography, reloading ammunition, fishing, and raising quail. When he finally retired for good, he most enjoyed managing the tools in his shop, watching Gunsmoke, and offering daily advice and weather reports to his kids and grandkids. He also spent a great deal of time keeping up with friends and extended family, orchestrating annual family reunions and serving on the Ward family cemetery board.

While he devoted much of his life to teaching, mentoring, and civic engagement, most importantly he loved his family. He was a loving husband and was extremely proud of his kids and grandkids – telling stories of their accomplishments to anyone who cared to listen.

Roger is survived by his wife, Lolita, who he married on July 3, 2014. He is also survived by his three children, Travis (Jennifer) Slayton, Audrey (Russell) Beres, and Cody (Hannah) Slayton; six grandchildren, Brieanne (Hayden) Johnson-Sipes, Brooke Slayton, Lucy Beres, Eva Hinnah, Landri Slayton and Averie Slayton; seven great-grandchildren; two step children, Christina (Chris) Hopper and Cindy (Bo) Brackett; six step-grandchildren, Daniel (Shelbie) Francisco, Tristen (Taylor) Francisco, Brooke Francisco, Owen Jarrett, Emily Nelson, and Ethan Gorman; one sister in law, Barbara Cross Ridlen; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Roger was preceded in death by his parents; seven siblings, Jessie Woodard, Margaret Hopwood, Joa Ann Herrick, Norman Slayton, Earl Slayton, Glenn Slayton and Jerry Slayton; and one son-in-law, Bob Beres.

He will be profoundly missed by all that knew him.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 29, 2024, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Cotrell Willow Ridge Funeral & Cremation Services in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

Funeral services will be on Friday, August 30, 2024, at Cotrell Willow Ridge Funeral & Cremation Services with Charles Kinsey officiating. Burial will take place at Ward Cemetery in Fairdealing, Missouri.

Memorials can be made to the Ward Cemetery in Fairdealing, Missouri, by mail to 500 County Rd. 4481, Poplar Bluff.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Barnes Jewish Hospital for their persistent and compassionate care over the years.

Cotrell Willow Ridge Funeral & Cremation Services is honored to serve the family of Roger Dwain Slayton.

Online condolences can be made at www.cwrfcs.com