Ernest Slade

SLADE, ERNEST HENSON, 1920 - 2013 Passed away peacefully at home on Friday, March 15, 2013. He was preceded in death by his three brothers, Dumas, Oliver and Warren and by first wife, Barbara Mann (Lawrence) and his second wife, Jo Heyer. Ernie, as he was known to his family friends and business associates, led a very colorful, fun-filled and interesting life. He was born in Eagle Hill, NM, the youngest of four boys. When he was five, his mother moved the family to Santa Fe where he graduated from Santa Fe High. In 1940, he married Barbara Mann. Together they had two children, Grant and Carroll. Ernie and Barbara were accomplished ballroom dancers and graced the Society Pages of the Los Alamos, Santa Fe and Clayton newspapers. In the 1940s and early 1950s, he worked with his older brother Dumas, who owned and operated Slade's Dairy - which served customers in Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and surrounding areas. From 1945 until 1952 Ernie managed the dairy operation in Los Alamos (including delivering milk at 4:00 in the morning). He also started his own vending machine business in Los Alamos and became known as "Mr. Money Bags" as he collected the coins and took them in bags to the bank. After his brother Dumas sold the dairy in 1952, Ernie exercised his own entrepreneurial talents, dabbling in everything from stocks and bonds to commercial real estate to cemeteries in Santa Fe and Nebraska to a coat hanger business in Dallas, TX and also a land development company in Northern NM called El Valle Escondido. In the early 1960s, he moved to Hollywood to develop a TV game show based on crossword puzzles which, unfortunately, didn't pan out - he was ahead of his time. In 1962, he married Jo Heyer, mother of Lynn, Sheron and Stephen. Together they had Barton Scott. In the 1980s he moved to Honolulu where he continued with his business ventures. After a few years he returned to New Mexico and became active in buying and selling commercial real estate in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. In the early 1990s he met by accident an old high-school friend, Toni Neal, and they kindled a late-in-life romance and became inseparable, moving to Roswell for Toni's health. Toni died in 2005 and Ernie was heartbroken but slowly recovered and regained his wonderful sense of humor. He loved to laugh and tell jokes. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him, including his wonderful caregivers, Matilde and Clara. Mr. Slade is survived by his sons and their wives: Grant and Hope Slade; Bart and Natalie Slade; daughter Carroll Slade Bodo and her husband Ron; step-son and wife Lynn Slade and Susan Zimmerman; step-daughter and husband Sheron and Bill Criswell; and step-son Stephen Heyer. Survivors also include 9 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. A private family memorial will take place at a later time. In lieu of flowers, you may make a contribution in his name to his favorite charity: Smile Train PO Box 96231, Washington, D.C. 20090-6231, . PO Box 96231Washington, D.C. 20090-6231.