Obituaries

Sleamaker, Dr. Robert L., Jr.

Age: 89
Passed Away: 2012-05-18
Funeral Home:

Dr. Robert L. Sleamaker Jr., 89, passed peacefully at his residence at Treyton Oak Towers in Louisville on Friday, May 18, 2012, surrounded by his loved ones.

He was born on Nov. 1, 1922, in Columbia. He was preceded in death by his parents, the Rev. Robert Lee Sleamaker and Dora Ellen Vance Sleamaker; and a sister, Mary Sue Sleamaker Krume.

He is survived by his wife, the former Lena Allen Faulkner of Campbellsville, and two daughters and sons-in-law who have been loved as sons, Georganna and Edward Dunn and Susan and John Henderson, all of Louisville. He is survived by seven grandchildren, Elizabeth Ceaser (Ben) of San Francisco, Jenny Mathison (Al) of Pacifica, Calif., Kathryn Foisie (Craig) of Mystic, Conn., John Henderson III (Amanda) of Vancouver, Wash., and Rob Henderson (Kate) of Louisville. He is also survived by his stepgrandchildren, Laura Dunn Sewell (Jef), of Austin, Texas, and Teddy Dunn of Boston; and 11 great-grandchildren, Madeleine and Nina Ceaser, Hannah and Lucy Mathison, Hudson and Juliette Foisie, Zoey Henderson, Jasper, Shepherd, Sterling and Walker Sewell.

He is also survived by sisters, Eleanor Brinson of Louisville and Pat Webster Rankin of Lake Junaluska, N.C.; a brother, Bill Sleamaker of Waterville, Maine; and many nieces and nephews.

Dr. Sleamaker enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Signal Corps from 1942 until June 1945. He was involved in the invasion at Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the Silver Star for heroic action while serving with the First Army in Western Europe.

Following his military service, he completed his B.S. and M.A. degrees from Western Kentucky Teachers College.

He worked as an elementary school teacher, school principal and director of employee personnel in the Old Louisville Public School System until 1961.

He and his family moved to Bowling Green, where he joined the faculty of Western Kentucky State College (now WKU) and served there until 1978. During those years, he received his Ed.D from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. At Western, he taught in the Department of Elementary Education and in 1965 he was named head of the Department of Elementary Education. He retired from WKU as professor of education in 1978 when he and his wife returned to Louisville. From 1978 until 1986, he worked in the office of the Dean of College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Louisville.

He was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church. He was a charter member of St. Mark United Methodist Church and at his death was an active member of St. Paul United Methodist Church, where he had served in many capacities for 34 years. He was also a member of Boaz Masonic Home Lodge No. 850.

Dr. Sleamaker was an avid reader his entire life. His most beloved hobby was fishing, and he enjoyed his time in nature. He was always ready to help anyone who needed help. He was a good neighbor, a constant friend, and truly “a good and faithful servant.”

The family would like to thank the Treyton Oak Family for their kindness and support, as well as the “Hosparus Angels,” Laura, Karen and Phyllis, who have cared for and comforted Dr. Sleamaker as well as his family during his final days.

A memorial service will be held to celebrate his life on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 2000 Douglass Blvd. Visitation and reception will follow the service in the church social hall.

In lieu of flowers, it would please Dr. Sleamaker greatly that others could be helped if donations were made in honor of his life to the Good Samaritan Fund at St. Paul United Methodist Church or Hosparus, 3532 Ephraim McDowell Dr., Louisville KY 40205.

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