SLOCA, Charles 1921 - 2015

SLOCA, RUSIN, RUSHMORE, ROSENBERRY, GOLD, RICHARDS, RENO, LEWIS, TERLOUW, MULLADY

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 12/6/2015 at 13:38:13

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Page 8

Charles SLOCA

Charles SLOCA, 93, of Fort Loudon, Pennsylvania, and formerly of Fairfield, died Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, at the Village of Laurel Run nursing home in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania.

Kelso-Cornelius Funeral Home of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, has been entrusted with the arrangements.

~~~~

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Page 6

Charles SLOCA

Charles SLOCA, 93, of Fort Loudon, Pa., formerly of Fairfield, Iowa, passed away Friday Nov. 20, 2015 at the Village of Laurel Run nursing home, Fayetteville, Pa.

Born Dec, 22, 1921 (sic) in Rahway, N.J., he was the son of Charles and Anna (RUSIN) SLOCA.

He graduated from Rahway High School and was a junior at Rutgers University when he enlisted in the Army Air corps in 1942. Following training as a co-pilot, he entered the European Theater flying a B-17 on bombing missions over Germany. On Aug. 7, 1944, his plane took a disabling hit over the target which led to a forced landing in Germany. The crew spent the rest of the war in German prison camps.

Returning home, he enrolled at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., from which he earned both Masters and Doctoral degrees in English. He taught at Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pa, from 1950-54; at Bethany College, Bethany, W.V. from 1954-55; and at Waynesburg College, Waynesburg, Pa. from 1955-57. In 1957, he was recruited by Parsons College, Fairfield, Iowa, where he served as academic dean of the college and professor for 16 years. When Parsons College closed its doors, he entered the public school system, teaching at Van Buren Community School District, Keosauqua, Iowa, at the high school and middle school levels until his retirement in 1985. From 1964 to 1985 he also served as local pastor and ordained deacon at New Sweden United Methodist and Glasgow United Methodist country churches in Iowa.

During his teaching career he developed and published several English teaching aids and numerous scripture study documents. His study of the Bible led to 17 years as host of a Sunday morning radio program of scripture study at KMCD-AM in Fairfield, Iowa. A member of Fort Loudon United Methodist Church, he also served as a Sunday School teacher. During his lifetime, he was a member of numerous civic, social and ministerial associations.

In 1943, Charlie married Maureen RUSHMORE, who predeceased him in 1952. In 1954 he married Joan ROSENBERRY, his wife of 61 years, who survives. In addition to his wife, he is survived by nine children: Steven, of Washington Crossing, Pa.; Sue Ellen (Steve) GOLD, of New Carrollton Md.; Molly SLOCA (Marc Labovitz) of Philadelphia Ia; Martha (Dave) RICHARDS, of Portland, Ore.; Amelia (Joel) RENO, of Long Grove, Iowa; Angela (Jonathan) LEWIS, of Dallas City, Ill.; John (Patti) of Kenosha, Wis.; Beck, of Santa Monica, Calif.; Anna (Micheal) TERLOUW, of Prairie Village Kan.; 18 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by one sister, Helen MULLADY, one niece, two nephews, and two grand-nieces.

He was predeceased by his parents, his first wife, one brother, two sisters, and one grandson.

At his request, the body has been cremated. A private service will be held at a future date with burial of cremains at the convenience of the family. Kelso-Cornelius Funeral Home of Chambersburg, Pa., has been entrusted with the arrangements.

~~~~

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Front Page

Former community pillar dies in Pennsylvania
by Nicole Hester-Williams
Ledger staff writer

Many would say that Charles SLODA, PhD., lived his 93 years the the fullest; the World War II veteran and prisoner of war, was a former Parsons College dean and professor, a pastor, radio talk show host, high school English teacher and a strong political voice in the community.

SLOCA and his wife Joan raised nine children, and for many years the family called Fairfield home.

SLOCA, who was born and raised in Rahway New Jersey, died Friday in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania.

"Dad was one of the most intelligent people; he was kind and studious," his son, John SLOCA said. "The decades he spent researching two specific subjects, English and the Bible -- I can't count all of the time he spent on those two things. He was well loved, and toward the end, the only thing that slowed him down from helping others was his failing health."

John remembered stories of his father's bravery during the time he served his country as a B-17 co-pilot in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

"He was shot down in August of 1944," John said. "He was captured and interrogated and they put him in a prison camp and he was there until early 1945 until the Russian Army began advancing," John said, adding that the prisoners were moved that night. "They told all the prisoners they had to break down their beds and make sleds out of them."

John said his father and his crew were shuffled around various prison camps until the end of the war when they were finally freed in late May of 1945.

After serving his country, Charles SLOCA graduated from Cornell University, earning both masters and doctoral degrees in English.

"He taught at colleges in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, before accepting the role as academic dean and professor at Parsons College.

SLOCA remained at Parsons for 16 years until the college closed. He went on to teach high school and junior high school at Van Buren Community School District until he retired in 1985.

SLOCA also served as local pastor and ordained deacon at New Sweden United Methodist and Glasgow United Methodist country churches in Jefferson County.

John said that even after his father retired from the ministry, various local families would make requests for him to officiate special services, such as funerals and weddings.

"He would preach church services for ministers that were out of town," John said. "He taught Sunday school classes for adults, and he and Mother would help out with events..."

SLOCA was also KMCD radio host on Sunday mornings, and his many letters to the editor were published in The Fairfield Ledger.

"He was a superb writer. It was so interesting to read a well written opinion piece," said Fairfield resident Scott Reneker.

Reneker said remembering SLOCA brought up the nostalgia of a past Fairfield and Parsons College.

"As a young boy, I was always interested in Parsons activities and attending sporting events," Reneker said, adding that he remembered a time when SLOCA wanted to start a Parsons junior college in Fairfield.

Although the Parsons junior college did not come to fruition, according to a Ledger article in 1981, SLOCA planned to open and head the college and he wanted to offer classes free to Jefferson County residents.

"He worked with the Jefferson County Democratic Party, among his various civic, social and ministerial organizations, and he even ran for governor of Iowa," John said, adding that his father ran during the time Iowa instituted its income tax, and that he was an opponent of the idea of "double" tax.

SLOCA was an Iowa party candidate for governor in 1966.

Reneker said growing up in Fairfield, he did have some interaction with SLOCA.

"I wasn't one of his students, but I had some interaction with him at the Methodist church," Reneker remembered. "Everybody knew the SLOCA house on Burlington Avenue. It was the landmark home in the community.

However, John SLOCA remembered growing up in the James A. Beck House at 401 Burlington Ave.

"We moved into the house in 1964. I was 1 year old," John recalled, adding that the home is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places.

"I lived in that house until I left for college," he said, adding that most of his siblings were raised in the home with the exception of his older brother who was 18 when the family moved.

"My brother went off to Vietnam and his professional career," John recalled.

All of the SLOCA's children graduated from Fairfield High School.

John said family members recently uploaded his father's obituary to Fairfield High School's Classmates Memorial Facebook website, and many community members posted comments about the life he lived.

"A true sign of greatness, for a man of his vast intellect to share it with so many of us in small towns, and to do it humbly and with graciousness. A life well lived, he is missed. All of that can be equally said of your mother Joan, Fairfield was fortunate to have both of them - and all of you," shared on Facebook by Bunny Ogden.

The obituary for Charles SLOCA is on the back page today.

~~~~
*Copied with permission from The Fairfield Ledger, Inc. This material may NOT be copied and re-posted in any public venue such as Ancestry or Find A Grave without permission from The Fairfield Ledger ~ copyright restrictions apply.
*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Photo of Joan & Charles SLOCA in front of their home, 1964
 

Jefferson Obituaries maintained by Joey Stark.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen