Obituary of Marvin Eugene Slater

Weasel? Having that nickname follow you from birth is enough to kill anyone I guess. What was meant as an Uncle's endearing name of a long skinny newborn became a life-long reference to one of the most innovative and resourceful men God ever created. He was an adult as a child, owning and fixing his first truck at age 9. From there he acquired a multitude of skills that he mastered throughout his life. A skill set that would take most of us a lifetime to become just a novice. He was a mechanic, fabricator, plumber, concrete business owner, electrician, and builder. There was nothing this man couldn't rig, fix, or create. His manner was humble and he never accepted the praise he deserved. His capacity for loving spread far and wide, though he hid it well under that manly "Southern-style" beard. Many days he was the neighborhood Mr. Fixit and seemed to always be on-call for advice. Had he charged for these services, we would be paying someone to write this obituary instead. His neighbor and best friend, Mark, was his "shop partner in crime", always trading and swapping tools, ideas, and tips. Somewhere between engineering his masterpieces, he found love. The spark began at age 10 when he hand fed her pie, after she refused for everyone else (finicky woman). It then developed into a wildfire that endured any and all obstacles ( just ask his ex's). So the legacy of his children began, with Anthony in 1981. 1990 was a busy year. He acquired a step-daughter (April) and welcomed a new baby (Anastasia) along with marrying his lifelong love, Becky. He was a father-figure to many, including Misti and Kenny, whom he loved as his own. As if he wasn't busy enough, the man found time to fish, farm, & build beautiful model cars and trucks. He even handcrafted toys for his children and grandchildren. Speaking of grandchildren, there was no shortage. AJ, Rose, Aden, Slater, Mailie, Evelina, and Skyla kept him smiling to his last breaths. Papaw adored those children, giving them silly nicknames that we won't mention here, because we do go out in pubic from time to time. The fight went back and forth, but dad won his battle with cancer by outsmarting it. You see, cancer can only survive in a living host. I think of it like an epic battle between good and evil. Sacrificing oneself so that the cancer would die. Dad knew he had eternal life, he just had to make the jump, so to speak. He was proceeded in death by his mother, Lois (Memaw); father, Jimmy; and loving baby sister, Angel. Oh and he had a brother and 2 other sisters. Papa's shoes can never be filled & he will be forever missed. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his name to the Lung Cancer Initiative of North Carolina.