Gordon Leroy Slate

Gordon Leroy Slate was born on January 17, 1933 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to loving parents Gordon and Bessie Slate.  He passed from this life on January 15, 2016 at the age of eighty two years, eleven months and twenty-eight days.

He was predeceased by his parents, his first wife Carolyn Raper; his second wife, Joyce Whitewing; great granddaughter, Madyson Akins, whom they were blessed with for ten short but precious days; and a step-son, David Whitewing.

Leroy attended schools in Tulsa, graduating from Central High School in 1951 and the University of Tulsa in 1964.  He served in the United States Navy during the Korean Conflict.  Leroy was employed by Warren Petroleum Corporation(Chevron) in Tulsa for thirty-five years, starting as a mail boy and retiring as a department manager.

He was married to Carolyn in 1955.  The couple was blessed with one child, daughter Karen.  In 1986 after taking early retirement, Carolyn and Leroy moved to Grove, Oklahoma where they enjoyed many years of fishing and golf in the Grand Lake area.  After the death of Carolyn, Leroy moved to Owasso for a short time and then to Hominy, Oklahoma when he was married to Joyce Whitewing in 2006.  Joyce died in December of 2013 and he then made his home in Cleveland.

Leroy considered himself to be a very fortunate man to have two great and wonderful ladies as his wives; Carolyn for forty-nine years and Joyce for eight years.  He felt that both of his marriages were wonderful and filled with much happiness; feeling "no man could ask for more."

Survivors include his first family of daughter, Karen and her husband, Jack Younger, Sand Springs, Oklahoma; granddaughter, Jessica and Bryan Akins and Bryan's brother, Mitchell Burrus; grandson, Gillie Younger; great-grandsons, Bryson Akins and Cason Akins; sister-in-law, Nancy Durbin and her three children and their families.

His second family includes, sister-in-laws, Mary Lou Haines and Frances Shoup and husband, Jim and numerous nieces and nephews all of whom treated Leroy as one of their own for which he was always grateful; four step grandsons, John, Sam, Ben and Will. 

His final request was that all usable organs and tissues be donated and then his body cremated.  He wanted his family and friends to remember him as a living, breathing, walking, talking human being with a smile on his face.  Also, at his request, no service is planned.