William Beaumont Slattery

William "Bill" Beaumont Slattery age 87, traveled over to glory on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2022. He was born April 27, 1935. Survived by five children, Joseph Martin Slattery, Marc Beaumont Slattery, Matthew Robert Slattery, Marsha Sue Thomas and Michael James Slattery as well as eight grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife of over 50 years, Dorothy Slattery. Together they are dancing again on the streets of gold. Bill had a way of teaching young men. He always expected you to do your "Dead Level Best" at everything you put your hands to. He was the Scoutmaster of the best troop in Midland, Texas. The scouts were able to accomplish some amazing things under his leadership while Bill made sure that it was the scouts, not the parents, learning and doing. He instilled in his children the belief that they could do all things through Christ who strengthens us. From working on cars, fixing things around the house, to building a house from the ground up, he excelled at almost everything he put his mind to! As a young man, Bill worked at a garage where he built the second fastest car in Omaha, Nebraska. Dorothy would joke that the fastest car in Omaha was his boss's at the garage, and if he ever beat him then Bill wouldn't have anywhere to work on his car! In his early career he was a draftsman. He took geologist reports and turned them into subsurface contour maps. It was always a marvel how he could take a chart of numbers and turn them into beautiful curvy lines of a map. Many a night was spent moonlighting at his drafting table to provide a better life for his kids. As his kids got older he participated with them in Little League. When Bill saw a need, he wasn't afraid to fill it. He spent several Spring seasons as an umpire for the North Central Division of Midland Junior baseball. Once, while teaching his son Matt to play catch, after he showed fear of the ball, Bill went inside and came out with a football helmet for him to wear. After donning the helmet he bounced the ball off his head to show him it wouldn't hurt. Perhaps the pinnacle of Bill's mentoring was his stint as Scoutmaster of Troop 152 in Midland, Texas. Arguably the greatest time with the greatest troop in Scouting! So many Eagle Scouts achieved many high adventure trips to Philmont, Minnesota and Canada. So many young men learning that if you do your "Dead Level Best" great things can be accomplished. After Scouting, and as his kids stepped into adulthood, Bill and Dorothy launched an adventure in the dog show world. First with Huskies, then Irish Setters, and finally with Field Spaniels. They bred the finest Field Spaniel and won best in Sporting Breed at Westminster Dog Show in New York, winning the Field Spaniel Specialty seven or more times. Boy, could those Field Spaniels hunt Blue Quail! Bill and Dorothy then focused their energy on ministering to young men at the Peyote Prison. With Dorothy's love and Bill's expectations, many young men learned to read, and read better. They also learned of Christ's love and forgiveness through the actions of them both. As Bill aged he took up combat shooting at a local range. He participated in many, and won a few of the contests. He was always up for an afternoon at the range. Bill loved his entire family, and today he is being given the grand tour of Heaven itself by the love of his life, Dorothy. Miss you Dad, but enjoy Paradise where we will meet you again to give our "Dead Level Best"!

Tributes

William Beaumont Slattery

April 27, 1935 - December 31, 2022