Joseph Hudson Slaughter

JOSEPH HUDSON SLAUGHTER
Kalamazoo
Formerly of Benton Harbor Joseph Hudson Slaughter passed away on November 8, 2008 at Friendship Village in Kalamazoo, MI. at the age of 99. He was born in S. Charleston, Ohio on May 4th, 1909. He and his brother George were one of two sets of twin sons born to George Hudson and Ethel Arthur Slaughter. Both sets of twins his brothers were Arthur and Robert, were born on the same date, four years apart. Mr. Slaughter owned and operated The Slaughter Instrument Co. in Benton Harbor and Mendon, MI until his retirement in 1968, when he sold the business to the Fish and Eversole families. He was married to Viola Capen on August 12, 1933. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Joe was an avid sportsman and won many awards for marksmanship. He was a charter member of the Berrien County Sportsman's Club and spent many happy hours hunting and shooting. His beloved hunting dogs were his loyal and constant companions. He was also a member of the Kiwanis and Elks Club. On September 8, 1946 he was married to Neva Barnebee. They lived for many years in Mendon, MI and later moved to Suttons Bay, Ml. They were married for almost 60 years and enjoyed entertaining and traveling. Mendon was a great place to take his grand-children on exciting jeep "safaris" where tigers and bears were frequently found in the woods! Joe was a wonderful story teller and delighted in entertaining family and friends with the antics of the two sets of twin brothers. In later years stories of adventures on Lake Michigan were added to keep his audience on the edge of their seats. Joe enjoyed playing golf well into his nineties, preferring to walk the course and carry his own clubs. Mr. Slaughter is survived by his daughter F. Marion Ronald Fritz, a step-son James Judy Barnebee and a daughter-in-law Bertha Slaughter Weber, also by grandchildren, Joseph Martha Slaughter III, Brian Lauri Fritz, Wendy Robin Willis and Tina Donnie McFarland, Scott Jeni and Mark Dawn Barnebee and eight great grandchildren. Also by a number of step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as many nephews and nieces. Especially close were nephews George Irene Slaughter and Bill Jeanie Slaughter and Tom Chieko Slaughter. He was preceded in death by his wife Neva, his parents, his son Joseph Hudson Slaughter, three brothers, a step-son Clyde Barnebee and a step-daughter Louise Ron Vedmore. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 o'clock Wednesday, November 12th at Langeland Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 S. 9th Street, Kalamazoo. Rev James Dyke will officiate. The family will receive friends at the funeral home, from 1-2:00 o'clock, just one hour prior to services. Interment will be Thursday, 10:00 o'clock at Crystal Springs Cemetery in Benton Harbor, MI. Memorials may be made to The Berrien County Sportsman's Club, The Friendship Village Friend Fund or charity of the donor's choice.