From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory
Thomas “Tom” Francis Slater, 76, Vero Beach
August 02, 1944 – May 26, 2021
Thomas “Tom” Francis Slater, 76, of Vero Beach, Florida, and Shaker Heights, Ohio, passed away peacefully on May 26, 2021 after a 13-year battle with cancer, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City. He was the beloved husband of Anna Bain (Ladt) and was the son of the late William R., Sr. and Eleanor (Boland) Slater.
Tom graduated from Yale University in 1966 and went on to serve as a field artillery officer in the United States Army (1966-69). He began his career as a soap salesman for Procter & Gamble in Brooklyn, and spent most of his career as president of Actron Manufacturing in Cleveland, Ohio. He served on many corporate, charity and club boards, including The Oatey Company and EGC Enterprises Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio and PEBCO in Paducah, Kentucky. He was a 40-year member of YPO/WPO; and served as a councilman (2013-2016, 2018-2020) and mayor (2018-2020) of Indian River Shores.
Tom was a devout Catholic, which extended to his role as a board member of Cleveland Central Catholic High School and Catholic Charities. He was also an active member of Carmelite Monastery in Cleveland Heights, where he attended mass regularly for over 30 years.
Tom was a gifted athlete, excelling in baseball, hockey, and golf through college at Yale. After college, he continued to play competitive amateur golf, winning dozens of club championships and tournaments. He began to compete in U.S.G.A. amateur tournaments, qualifying for three U.S.G.A. Senior Amateurs and the U.S. Senior Open in 2001. He won the Florida Super-Seniors tournament in 2011 after defeating lymphoma and was an active member of the U.S.S.G.A. International Team since 2008. He was recognized for these successes through his induction into the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame for golf in 2017. A fuller description of his many sports achievements can be found at
http://www.clevelandsportshall.com/slater-tom/.
Music and theatre were a constant in his life and he enjoyed many Broadway productions, becoming a Patron Producer of Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach. He was an avid historian, traveled extensively (often to historical sites), and valued good conversation.
Tom was a true fighter and valued perseverance. He never saw the obstacle, only the solution. In fact, he coined the term “Slaterize” to describe his tenacity in life’s toughest situations. Despite his many accomplishments, he was humble and always lent a kind ear to friends and family. It’s impossible to sum up Tom in so few words, but one word that stands out the most is: loved. Tom was loved by many. He was a bright light in the darkness, and we still see and feel his light today. We will miss him dearly but know he will continue to guide us from above.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by their children Emily Slater, Thomas “L.T” Slater II, Hugh and Brooke Slater, Anna Bain and Brooks Reynolds, Elizabeth Ladt, Thomas “T” and Claudia Ladt, Peyton and Stefan Sterns, Katherine and Mark Peters, and their 17 grandchildren: Oliver, London, Farah, Charlotte, Lyla, William, Hunter, Wesley, James, Palmer, Slater, Christian, Shepard, Henry, Cooper, Crawford and Scarlett. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Edith Slater (wife of the late William R. II) and nephew Bill Slater III, his wife Lisa, and hundreds of extended family and friends. The family is grateful to everyone who has shared Tom Slater stories with us over the last weeks and would like to invite friends, family, and acquaintances to share more stories by emailing: [email protected].
A funeral mass will be held on June 4, 2021 at 10 a.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 500 Iris Lane, Vero Beach, FL 32963. Reception to follow at 11:30AM at the John’s Island Golf Club. Please note the burial following the mass will be immediate family only. Additionally, a Celebration of Life will be held in Tom’s honor this summer in Cleveland, Ohio details to be confirmed.
The family would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Brad Pohlman of The Cleveland Clinic and the doctors and nurses at Memorial Sloan Kettering, who cared for him. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to be made in memory of Tom to one of the following charities supported by Tom and Anna Bain: Cleveland Central Catholic High School (https://www.centralcatholichs.org/giving/donate/); the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute (Checks: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, P.O. Box 931517, Cleveland, OH 44193-1655 or online: (http://giving.clevelandclinic.org); Riverside Theatre Endowment Fund (3250 Riverside Park Drive Vero Beach, FL 32963); The Crossover Mission in Vero Beach (https://crossovermission.com/donate/); or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (https://giving.mskcc.org/).
From Cox-Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home & Crematory
Rita J. Nelson, 86, Vero Beach
October 12, 1934 – May 23, 2021
Rita J. Nelson, 86, of Vero Beach, died peacefully Sunday, May 23, 2021 surrounded by family.
She was born to the late John P. Jaso and Mildred Kach on October 12, 1934 in Donora, Pennsylvania. Rita graduated from Donora High School in 1952 and attended the University of Pittsburgh. She moved to Vero Beach in 1961 where she began her career at Indian River Citrus Bank.
After retiring in the early 2000s, Rita spent time traveling. Her favorite destinations include Ireland, France, Italy and Victoria, British Columbia. She enjoyed playing cards, tennis, mahjong, and dominoes with family and friends. She was an active member of St. Helen Catholic Church.
Rita is survived by her two sons David (Carrie) Nelson of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Jim (Nancy) Nelson, of Vero Beach. She is also survived by her six grandchildren Brian (Casey), Ben (Sophie), Chris, Aaron, Amy and Alex, and her great-granddaughter Evelyn.
A visitation will be held Friday, May 28 from 2-4pm at Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home. A funeral service will then be held from 4-5pm followed by burial at Crestlawn Cemetery.
The family would like to honor the services provided by the VNA hospice. In lieu of flowers, please make donations payable to VNA Visiting Nurse Association.
Anyone wishing to send the family a message or share a story is asked to visit Rita’s memorial page at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com. To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Rita J Nelson, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
