Nellie Slaton

Nellie Frances Woodliff Slaton, age 93 passed away June 17, 2011 at her daughter's home after a long battle with Alzheimer's. She was born, July 20, 1916 in Atlanta, and was the oldest of five children born to Mary Lucille (Hope) Woodliff and Henry Woodliff. She was married to William Harvey Slaton, a steel construction worker who passed away in 1968 in a car accident. Nellie was a devoted daughter who cared for her own mother until her death at age 95. She was a faithful member of the Fidelis Sunday School Class at Capitol; Avenue Baptist Church in Atlanta. Her life and love for her family and church was her sermon as she always believed that actions spoke louder than any words. Prior to the birth of her two daughters, Nellie worked alongside her mother at the Bell Bomber Plant in Marietta riveting planes for WWII in which her only brother, Howard Woodliff, died and was awarded the Purple Heart and Medal of Honor. After her daughters were born, Nellie devoted herself to her family by sewing her daughter's dresses, helping the PTA, Brownie, and Girl Scouts. She was also active in various charity and community efforts to help others. Nellie was part of the Greatest Generation who lived thought he Depression. Many of her formative years were spent in an orphanage in Atlanta with her siblings while her mother found work wherever she could, visiting her children on weekends. Despite these experiences and hardships, Nellie demonstrated incredible resiliency. She did not consider her childhood difficulties or troubles, but relied on her faith in God and focused on her love of family and the life God had given her. Her hobby was cooking for her family and writing new recipes for which she won numerous prizes including a trip to Rome, Italy, a diamond watch, refrigerator, and other products. She was a resourceful woman of integrity who found ways to make do with whatever she had and was devoted to her family. Education was very important to Nellie, although she herself was unable to continue school after the eighth grade. She was very proud of her daughters, both of whom were the first in their family to complete high school and attend and graduate with a degree from college. She was able to see the fruits of her hard work in daughter Hope Slaton Munro receiving her specialist degree and working as a school counselor and in her daughter Linda Slaton in her work as a State of Georgia Auditor for 30 years using her accounting degree. The foundation of education that she provided for her daughters trickled down to both of her granddaughters who are both are college graduates. She is survived by her two daughters, Hope Slaton Munro and her husband Marty of Calhoun, Linda Slaton of Palm Coast, Florida; a sister, Edna Rainey of Atlanta; two granddaughters, Amelia Munro Lipscomb and her husband Dr. Clifford Lipscomb of Cartersville and Hillary Munro of Rome; two great grandchildren, Thoreau Clifford and Hadassah Frances Lipscomb of Cartersville; five nieces and nephews, Bill Barham and Peggy Flach both of Atlanta, Carol Page, Bonnie Bennett and Joy Vance all of Louisiana, and numerous great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death b y a baby sister in infancy, her brother, Howard Woodliff in 1944, her husband William Harvey Slaton in 1968, her mother Mary Lucille Hope Slaton in 1992 and another sister, Margaret Dorothy Vance who died on cancer in 2007. Special gratitude is given to Cathy Snyder, Sandra Hensley, Angie Whitt, and Grapel Headrick who have been loving and faithful caretakers providing care during the last eleven years making it possible for to be cared for at home. Memorial contributions may be given to the Alzheimer's Association of Northwest Georgia, 855 Abutment Road, Suite #6, Dalton, GA. 30721 or the Dalton Educational Foundation, PO Box 1408, Dalton, GA. 30722-1408 Funeral services will conducted at 3:00 PM, Sunday, June 19 at the Calhoun Seventh Day Adventist Church with Chaplin Dave Smith officiating. Burial will be in Roseland Park Cemetery near Atlanta at 11:00 AM, Monday, June 20. The family will receive friends from 4:00 until 6:00 Saturday at the funeral home. On line condolences may be recorded at www.thomasfuneralhomecalhoun.com. Thomas Funeral Home has charge of arrangements for the services of Nellie Frances Woodliff Slaton.