Mary Slaughter

Mary Slaughter, or as known to her family and friends as MeMe, was born October 29, 1922 in Los Angeles, California. She was the daughter of James Allen and Ila Dunn. She had four sisters, Lucile, Mabel, Hazel and Viola; and two brothers, Silas and Bud. She was raised by loving parents; a mother who was a beautiful Christian lady and a loving father. Mary's mother raised Mary and her siblings in the church taking them every Sunday. Her early years were spent in a suburb of Los Angeles, Palamar and then later moved to Lynwood where she graduated from Compton High School in 1940. After gradation, MeMe married Henry Crain Bennett and the couple had a beautiful daughter, Lucianne, who now lives in Tulsa. After the death of her husband, Henry, Mary was united in marriage to Joseph Strock, Jr. and the couple had a daughter, Judith Ann. Joe was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis early in his life and went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ after a lengthy battle with MS. During the next many years following the death of her husband, Joseph; Mary owned and operated a dress shop and shoe store and was also active in the rental property business which kept her quite busy. After both her daughters had moved to Oklahoma and opened restaurants with their husbands, MeMe followed them in 1975 to Oklahoma and purchased a home in Sand Springs. Shortly after moving to Sand Springs she joined the First Assembly of God Church and was a member there for the next nine years. In 1984, MeMe decided to move to Cleveland to be near her daughter, Judy. After moving to Cleveland, she became active in the restaurant by baking all the pastries and many specials for Judy Ann's, south of Cleveland. During this time she also assisted in the care of her sister, Viola who had a stroke in 1988. After moving to Cleveland, MeMe became active in the First Assembly of God Church she loved her Pastor and his wife and all of her church family. She even had a gate put in her backyard so she could walk to church in case she couldn't drive any longer. MeMe could always be found assisting with the kitchen duties in the church preparing meals for church functions and funerals. She truly enjoyed working with the ladies in the church kitchen and always knew the Lord placed her there because she loved to cook. She always recognized her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ's role in her life and acknowledged she would have never made it without his grace; saying he had been with her every step of the way. "I'm waiting for the rest of you all, don't keep me waiting long." Mary departed on her heavenly journey on Friday, October 23, 2009 at the Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa at the age of eighty-six. She is survived by two daughters, Judy Ann Ward and her husband Phillip of Cleveland, Oklahoma and Lucianne Hibdon of Tulsa, Oklahoma; a sister, Viola Balzan of Cleveland, Oklahoma; five grandchildren, Lisa Ward, Dwight Ward, Steve Hibdon, Michael Hibdon and Stacie Bacon; two great-grandchildren, Garrett Houck and Chelsea Bacon; and two great great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; three sisters, Lucille Dunn, Mabel Allen and Hazel Mangun; and two brothers, Bud Dunn and Silas Dunn. ' Funeral services will be held 2:00 pm Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at the First Assembly of God Church with Pastor Dan Edens and Rev. George Boston officiating. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.