Alva (Al) Lee Slemp

SLEMP - Alva (Al) Lee Slemp died Thursday, August 20, 2009 in Albuquerque, after a courageous battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He was born in Fairfax, Missouri on January 13, 1935 to Lee and Rosa Slemp. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of almost 49 years, Erika Slemp; his son Larry and wife Mary, their children Melissa and Matthew; son Steve; his sister Rosalee Flanagan of Rock Port, Missouri; his brother Dale Slemp and wife LoAnn of Aurora, Colorado. He was preceded in death by his sister Marie Hudson and her husband James and Rosalee's husband Maurice; and many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, both in the United States and Germany. Al grew up in Rock Port, Missouri on a farm. He graduated from high school at age 17 and then at age 18, joined the United States Army and served our country in Korea, where he contracted malaria. After recovering, he was selected by the United States Air Force, to attend language school to become a Russian linquistics specialist. He then served in Germany, where he met Erika and they married. He loved to sing and had a beautiful baritone voice. In fact, he performed in a traveling theater company in Europe while he was in the Air Force. He was a hard-working man who loved his family dearly. He had a great sense of humor and loved to tell jokes to anyone who would listen. He was a very generous man, very devoted to all activities he invovled himself in. He will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his memory to Asbury United Methodist Church. Alva's care has been entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Services 2400 Southern Blvd SE Rio Rancho, NM 87124 (505) 891-9192