Clarence W. Slaughter

BYRD FUNERAL HOME ON WEST MAIN STREET

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Posted by: ByrdFuneralHome
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334.793.3003
Date: Apr 18 2013 5:20 PM

Byrd Funeral Home

3409 W. Main Street

Dothan, Alabama 36305

334.793.3003

Clarence W.  Slaughter

Clarence Wesley Slaughter, 89, a resident of Dothan, passed away Thursday, April 18, 2013.

Family members will receive friends and visitors at Evergreen Presbyterian Church, 1103 N. Pontiac Ave., Dothan, AL,  Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. with the Witness to the Resurrection following at 2:00 p.m. Slaughter will be buried privately at Oak Hill Cemetery in Birmingham, Alabama with Byrd Funeral Home on West Main Street directing.

Clarence or “Slaughter” as he was known, was born to the late Walter and Myrtle Slaughter on October 5, 1923 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Slaughter was anything but a spectator in life. An avid athlete from his youth, Slaughter played most all sports. While attending Howard College he was a star player and a member of the Howard team that defeated the original Boston Celtics.

 Slaughter took a hiatus from college to serve in the Pacific in WWII as a Naval officer. He saw action at the battle of Okinawa and was in Tokyo Bay during the Japanese surrender. After the war, Slaughter returned to Howard College and to marry Elaine, his college sweetheart he had left behind. He then commenced to obtain his law degree at The University of Alabama.

Slaughter then pursued a lifelong dream. He became a special agent for the FBI serving in the New York and Washington DC offices, before  returning south to Dothan.

While in Dothan he continued to refuse to sit on the bench of life. Over the next years of his life, he would be an instrumental force for starting a vibrant tennis program in Dothan.  Slaughter helped bring many young people to tennis for the first time and was a cofounder of the Azalea Tennis and Swim Club.

After retiring from the FBI with 25 years of service, Slaughter hung out his shingle to start a new chapter practicing law. In many cases he helped defend those who had little means to hire an attorney.

Slaughter was an active member of Evergreen Presbyterian Church for over 50 years serving multiple terms as a ruling elder and multiple years guiding high school youth. He was also a board member of both the Houston County Boy’s Club and the Hawk Houston Boy’s Club. In 1997, Slaughter was elected to the Wiregrass Sports Hall of FameClarence Slaughter is preceded in death by his loving wife of 66 years Elaine, his son Steve, his parents, Walter and Myrtle and by his brother, Walter.

He is survived by two sons, Mike Slaughter of Dothan and Terry Slaughter (Jennifer) of Birmingham; four grandchildren, Ryan (Kristin) Slaughter, Jonathan (Rachel) Slaughter, Erin Slaughter and Hayden Slaughter, all of Birmingham; two great-grandchildren, Charlie Slaughter and Hardin Ahearn.

The winning spirit of Clarence Slaughter will live in our hearts forever.

In lieu of flowers, the family is humbly requesting the donations be made in Slaughter’s memory to Evergreen Presbyterian Church or the Hawk Houston Boys Club, both of Dothan.

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