Rose Marion Slutz, 94, of Vero Beach, passed away on Feb. 26, 2015, at her home in Vero Beach.
She is survived by her four children Pamela, Robert III, Marjorie and Christopher; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; four nieces and six nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Robert “Bob” Fleming Slutz, Jr., in 2009.
A career U.S. Foreign Service spouse, Slutz served with her husband, Robert (Bob) Fleming Slutz, Jr., in Washington, D.C. (1951-55, 1964-68 and 1977-79); Palermo, Italy (1956-58); Bangkok, Thailand (1958-64); Jakarta, Indonesia (1968-72); and Manila, the Philippines (1972-76).
When Bob was Consul General in Asmara, Ethiopia (1976-77), Rose resided in Addis Ababa. She and Bob retired to Vero Beach and Alexandria, Va., in 1979.
Slutz graduated from DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind., (1943) where she was a member and officer of the Alpha Omicron Pi Chapter. She worked for IBM in Chicago as a machine repair specialist during World War II and as the University of Chicago home study program coordinator in the late 1940s. During her foreign service career, Slutz was active in the American Women’s Association. For her service as the chairperson of the welfare committee of the AWA in Bangkok, she was commended by Queen Sirikit of Thailand.
In retirement, Slutz was active in the Democratic Party and as an advocate of Women’s rights, including Pro Choice. She also championed environmental conservation in Southeastern Florida.
Slutz’ ashes will be buried with her parents at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Fla. At her request, no memorial service will be held. Condolences can be posted on the website of the Lowther Thomas Funeral Home in Vero Beach: http://www.lowtherfuneralhome.com/obituaries.php. Donations can be made to the “Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy and other Retinal diseases” program at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins University Hospital, in memory of Rose Slutz. On-line at https://secure.jhu.edu/form/wilmer. or by mail to: Wilmer Eye Institute Macular Degeneration Center Johns Hopkins Hospital 600 N. Wolfe Street Baltimore, MD 21287.