Nelda Ruth (Patton) Slaughter, 90, of Perryton, passed away Friday, March 12, 2021.
A graveside service is scheduled for 10 a.m., Friday, March 19, 2021 at Ochiltree Cemetery followed by a church service at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Perryton, with Rev. Richard Laverty officiating.
The funeral home will be open for viewing/visitation on Wednesday March 17,2021, from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Thursday March 18, 2021, from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Arrangements are under the direction of Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home of Perryton. Services will be broadcast live on First Baptist Church Perryton, Facebook page for those who wish to watch.
Nelda was born in Perryton, to Lake and Dixie Patton on Christmas Day, 1930. She graduated from Perryton High School in 1947 and began working at North Plains Electric. She married Dean Slaughter, also of Perryton, in the middle of a record ice storm on Feb. 3, 1951. They made their home in Waco, until Dean completed his degree at Baylor University in 1952. They then moved to Fort Worth with their first baby in tow, where Dean served at Carswell Air Force Base. Two years later, as a family of four in August of 1954, they moved to their permanent location of Perryton, where they added two more children to the family and took over the family farming business.
In Perryton, Nelda was a loving member of First Baptist Church, where she enjoyed teaching Sunday school. She was a founding member of the Calico CowBelles, a nationally affiliated organization of Texas women interested in beef promotion. Winning both the inaugural Miss Perryton and Miss Wheatheart of the Nation pageants, Nelda also served many years on the chairs of both pageants. She served on the YMCA Building Committee (now known as the Activity Center), the Perryton Ex-Student Board, and was an active member of Beta Sigma Phi.
In addition, Nelda also gave many years as a volunteer on the Satellite Center Board (presently ASC) and loved spending time working with the clients. Having also served several years as a Girl Scout and Boy Scout leader, Nelda was always affectionately invested in the community.
In the early 1980’s, Dean and Nelda built their subterranean dream home, which would host thousands of honored and treasured guests for many decades to come. Nelda thrived on serving and caring for others for the entirety of her life. She ensured everyone had more than enough to eat, a place to sleep, and a warm place to stay.
Nelda served her beloved husband and family faithfully and completely, providing endless meals to the farmers and hands, moving them from field to field, offering sound advice and a strong opinion. Her largerthan-life smile and overarching kindness were contagious to all. She continued to spend even her last weeks making everyone laugh with her witty, direct remarks, all while offering her family and friends words of encouragement and advice to live by.
Affectionately called Memaw by more than just her grandchildren, she was often found baking cookies for her grandchildren (and consequently, all of their college roommates) and great-grandchildren. Cooking and baking were a lifelong passion and love of hers. Receiving a package (or a card with plenty of money) in the mail from Memaw was like Christmas morning, her favorite day of the year! Accompanied by a never-ending cup of coffee, a large home-cooked meal and delicious sugary treats were the love language of her soul.
Memaw and Papa (Dean) also spent many years attending sporting events, recitals, and performances, pridefully supporting their grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. It was truly one of Memaw’s greatest joys in life and continued faithfully through the power of the internet into her final days.
Having just celebrated her 90th birthday on December 25, 2020, with her family, she is preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 66 years, Dean.
Memaw Nelda is survived by many who adored her; siblings, Ruby (Patton) Bull of Longview, Don Patton and his wife, Ann, of Lake Jackson, and many nieces and nephews; sisterin-law Jeanette Stump of McPherson, KS; her faithful children, Terry Slaughter and his wife, Janet, Tom Slaughter and his wife, Mary Ann, Denise Davis and her husband, J.C., and Dan Slaughter, all of Perryton; her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Jara (Slaughter) Barnes, her husband, Brock, and children, Brae, Briley, and Creed of Amarillo; Jill (Slaughter) Johnson, her husband, Dane and children, Samuel, Selah, and Emmanuel of Saginaw; Chris Davis, his wife, Tawney, and children, Julia and Carrie of Plano; Melissa McCreary, her husband, Brett, and children, Benjamin and Josiah of Perryton; Michael Davis, his wife, Rachael, and children, Macee and Sawyer of Miami; Adam Slaughter, his wife, Sandra and son, Logan of Houston; Ian Slaughter and his mother, Terri of Amarillo, and Maddie Stecklein of Perryton.
If Nelda had any last words of encouragement and comfort for those she has left behind, they would be “Live each day to the fullest, always looking to make tomorrow a better day than the one before. Love fiercely, never stop serving others, and always chase you dreams.”
The family requests memorials be sent to the Perryton Dance Scholarship Association, PO Box 837, Perryton, TX 79070; First Baptist Church Sanctuary Fund, PO Box 1272, Perryton, TX 79070; or Ochiltree Hospice Volunteers, 2309 S. Cedar, Perryton, TX 79070.