SOUTH PLYMOUTH – Edgar Eugene Slate, “Ed,” 73, of South Plymouth, passed away late Friday evening, Sept. 5, 2008 at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, from complications of diabetes.
Born in January of 1935 in Richford, Ed was the son of Edgar Judson and Nellie (Holt) Slate. He attended the country school at Heady’s Comers and later, Norwich High School. He joined the U.S. Army in 1952, being discharged with an honorable discharge. On July 2, 1960, Ed married Josephine L. Slater and shared 48 memorable years. She survives him, as do his two daughters, Kathleen (Hadden) Monroe of Plymouth and Genie and Randy Matts of Norwich; four sons: Wayne Slate, Douglas and Alice Slate, Thomas and Brenda Slate, all of South Plymouth, and Charles and Linda Slate of Plymouth; eight grandchildren: Cheryle, April, Matthew and Elizabeth of the Plymouth area, Danielle, Kristen, and Alexis Slate of Plymouth, and Karlee Matts of Norwich; and four great-grandchildren: Ashley, Aaron, Mikiya, and Austin of South Plymouth. He is survived by two sisters, Doris and Barbara; also his step-sister, Doris Follett of Norwich and step-brother Kenneth; many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Ed was predeceased by four brothers, three sisters, and several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Ed worked for I.L. Richer, then, over the years, he worked for several building contractors before becoming a master of his own. With his own sawmill, he built homes for all four of his sons as well as several other homes and barns. He enjoyed listening and dancing to country music, restoring antique tractors, and restoring and racing street cars on a 1/4 mile drag strip, gaining the nickname “Fast Eddie.”
Funeral services for Ed will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday from the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home. The Rev. Dennis McKenna, pastor of the Assembly of God Church, will officiate. Interment will follow in the J.D. Lewis Cemetery of Preston.
Friends are invited to call at the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home on Monday from 7 to 9 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions to the American Diabetes Assoc., 6390 Fly Rd., 2nd Floor, East Syracuse, NY 13057.