Roland Neal Slaughter

Roland Neal Slaughter, of Groesbeck, passed away Friday, December 2, 2016, at Windsor Healthcare Residence, at age 82. Visitation will be Saturday, December 10, 2016, from 5:00 to 6:30 P.M. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, December 11, 2016, at the Church of Christ in Groesbeck. Brother Richard Williams and Brother Cliff Fox will officiate. Burial will follow in Hogan Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Rand Bates, Bill David Sadler, Dale Wilson, Don Sadler, Billy Floyd Wilson, Ebert Dale McNeill, Milton Hogan, and Mel Jarvis. Honorary pallbearers will be David Roach, Tommy Hastings, Bill Sadler, Don Brewer, the Elders of the Church of Christ of Groesbeck, and all the employees of Windsor Healthcare. Roland was born July 24, 1934 in Box Church to John Nolan Slaughter and Eddie Myrle McNeill Slaughter. He attended schools at Box Church, later at Dayton, and graduated from Groesbeck High School in 1952. Roland went to work for Western Electric in Houston, and also attended barber school and was a licensed barber. He enlisted in the U. S. Army in July 1954 and was stationed in El Paso. Roland was united in marriage with Lena Beth Hyden on December 18, 1954 in El Paso. Beth bravely rode the train alone to El Paso to marry Roland, as the anticipation that he might be sent to Germany had caused them to change their plans for a wedding the following June. When Roland was discharged in November 1956, he and Beth moved to Houston where he went back to work for Western Electric. After a company lay-off, he worked a year at the Post Office, and then was called back to work by AT&T Technologies. Roland worked on computers, and had received training in the Army in radar and electronics, as well as taking training courses during his career. Roland and Beth raised four boys in Bellaire and their home was often full of the friends of their sons. Roland was an involved father, active in Scouts, Y-Indian Guides, and coaching their baseball teams. He worked with them on agriculture projects and attended debate team trips, and also he served on the elementary school board several years. Roland was a Deacon at West United Church of Christ, where he was in charge of personal evangelism for fifteen years; taught high school and adult Bible classes; ministered at M. D. Anderson, serving communion there; and at a local nursing home. He took college Bible classes at Lindale Church of Christ, and was ever involved in teaching others through film strips or “open Bible study.” The boys recall there seemed to never be a time that Roland was not picking up someone to ride to church, with the boys having to sit in each others’ laps to make room. The boys learned many lessons from how Roland conducted his life as their parent and as he shared the gospel with others. In 1976 he organized a door-knocking campaign covering 25,000 people in the area, which turned out very successful. Roland had previously bought his Dad’s farm in 1972, which had been in the Slaughter family for four generations. He worked on it during weekend trips to Groesbeck, cleared the land, and the boys raised calves given them by Grandfather Hyden, and Roland later raised cattle once he had moved back. After a thirty-year career, Roland retired in August 1984. In September 1985, Roland and Beth built their home in Groesbeck, so he and Beth could be more involved in taking care of their parents. During his years in Houston, Roland had worked as a barber on Saturdays, with his sons enjoying helping him at the shop. He kept his license and after moving to Groesbeck, he leased Rand Bates’ barbershop where he served the public from 1986 through 1996. He kept his license renewed until the past week. Roland enjoyed genealogy and spent time on their vacation trips to research family records at those locations, and wrote a book on the Slaughter family. Roland was active in the Church of Christ at Groesbeck, taught adult Bible classes, continued personal evangelism, and served some years as an Elder. Roland taught his sons to honor their parents and grandparents, and that the glory goes to God. After a stroke, he had been paralyzed and could not talk for the past eight and one-half months; however, he was still a Christian influence on all who knew him. The past Friday, he had a few good hours to show Beth his love. His family knows he is God’s hands now, and that he left a legacy for them to know he will have an eternal home in Heaven with Jesus and his Heavenly Father. Roland was preceded in death by his father and mother; his brother, Larry G. Slaughter; and his daughter-in-law, Melissa Slaughter. He is survived by his wife, Lena Beth Slaughter; son Michael Slaughter; son and daughter-in-law, David and Iliana Slaughter; son, Steven Slaughter; son and daughter-in-law, John and Sheila Slaughter. The ten grandchildren are: Chris Slaughter, Nick Slaughter, Katie Slaughter, Maddie Slaughter, Ellie Slaughter, Josh Eilander, Amanda Eilander, Lauren and husband Garrett Oden, Ashley Slaughter, and Lyndsey Slaughter. He also leaves behind a sister and brother-in-law, Barbara and Bill Robinson; nieces, Jeanette LeVie, Susan Thomas, and Amanda Slaughter; and nephew, Larry Slaughter, Jr.