Rodney Slack

Slack, Rodney Age 72, died at the Heart Hospital of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM, on Monday, January 21, 2013. He is preceded in death by his parents, Oliver George Slack and Gladys Fay Maxwell; sister, Doris Slack Feldt; brother, Stanley Slack; and brother-in-law, Bil Feldt. Rodney is survived by his wife of 42 years, Judy Whiteley Slack; two brothers, George (Mary) Slack of Salt Lake City, Douglas (Elaine) Slack of Pueblo, CO; two sisters, Rayma (Bryant) Wright and Carol (Doug) McKnight both of St. George, UT; and sister-in-law, Bette (Stanley) Slack of Cedar City, UT; and many loving nieces and nephews. Rodney will be greatly missed by all. Rodney was born in Cedar City, UT on October 30, 1940. He attended Cedar City schools and joined the United States Air Force in 1957 prior to high school graduation. He served in the military for eight years as an aircraft mechanic and was stationed in several bases, including Moron Air Base in Spain. He earned his GED while in the service. After his discharge from the Air Force in 1965, he worked as an aircraft mechanic for United Airlines in San Francisco and attended the College of San Mateo, CA. Rodney decided to take advantage of the GI Bill and attend college full time. This was a major decision that raised self-doubts about his academic ability. A friend and fellow mechanic, who had been a National Merit Scholar, encouraged him that he could do it. He returned to Cedar City to attend Southern Utah State College and received a BA with honors in Political Science in 1969. One of his personal high points at SU was being president of the Model United Nations group and serving as delegate to the Brigham Young University Model U.N. In the fall of 1969 he began political science studies at the University of Iowa where he had received a teaching assistantship. While in Iowa City he met his wife, Judy, who was student in the School of Social Work and they married in December 1970. After receiving his masters degree in 1972, he worked as a researcher/statistician in a newly formed government agency, SOICC (State Occupational and Informational Coordinating Committee) in Des Moines, IA. The Iowa committee's innovative work was a stepping stone to his being employed by the National Coordinating Committee as researcher and later administrator. After retiring from the federal government in June 2000, he and Judy moved to Placitas, NM. As his health declined in his later years, he gave up playing golf and turned more to his love of reading. In honor of Rodney's wishes, a cremation has taken place. No local services will be conducted. The family will receive relatives and friends Saturday, February 9, 2013 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Southern Utah Mortuary in Cedar City, UT., where a Memorial Service will be conducted at 12:00 noon. Rodney's care has been entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Services Alameda Mortuary 9420 Fourth St. NW Albuquerque, NM 87114 (505) 898-3160