James Melvin Slater, Sr.

James Melvin Slater, Sr. was born on August 22, 1951 to the late Hattie Bell Slater and Thomas Walton. He accepted Christ at an early age and attended James Addition Church but later united with Liberty Hill Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Rev. Fredrick Haynes, God's servant at Liberty Hill is now Rev. Roy V. Elliott, Jr. James was a faithful member and served as an usher until his health failed.

James attended Cotton Plant High School and graduated with the class of 1969. After high school he attended Arkansas Baptist College. James worked for Roadway Trucking Company from which he retired.

James married Gwendolyn Staggers on October 16, 1972 and was blessed with two sons from this union. James departed this life on December 8, 2020. He was preceded in death by his mother, Hattie B. Butler, father, Thomas Walton, grandmother, Bessie Glason, grandson, Rodney Slater, Jr., two brothers George Butler and Sherman Walton and a sister Julia Belinda.

James leaves to cherish his memory, a loving wife, Gwendolyn Slater, sons Enos Chapple, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; James Slater, Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Rodney Slater, Sweet Home, Arkansas, one sister, Minister Regina Ramey, Cotton Plant, Arkansas; seven brothers, Dwight (Mary Ann) Slater, Little Rock, Arkansas; Wilford (Cassandra) Slater, Virginia Beach, Virginia; Keith Slater, Cotton Plant, Arkansas; Audrey Butler, South Bend, Indiana; Douglas (Nancy) Butler, Fayetteville, North Carolina; Levi (Stacy) Butler, Hampton, Georgia; Ricardo Butler, Conway, Arkansas, and Jacob Walton, Gary, Indiana, one great uncle, Joseph W. (Pam) Jones, Buffalo, New York and one great aunt, Sarah Jones, Buffalo, New York, a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

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