Louis "Jean" Slankard

Louis "Jean" Slankard, age 95, passed away peacefully at home on  April 27th, 2022.

Jean was born to John Henry and Minnie Slankard on December 1,1926 in Campbell, Mo.  After graduating from high school in 1944 he joined the Army Air Corps, serving in the United States and Europe. He graduated from the University of Missouri on the GI Bill, and received  a MS in Education from Arkansas State University.  His love of sports and his good character made his high school basketball and baseball coaching career memorable for his players. One of his teams became county basketball champions. Many of his players remained lifelong friends. He became the principal of Holcomb High School and then the County Superintendent of Schools for Dunklin County Missouri. He served as a role model for many students and assisted them in achieving their educational and life goals. In the 1960s he served as a recommending scout for the St. Louis Cardinals.  Upon moving to Albuquerque in 1970 Jean and his wife Janice, joined St. Paul's United Methodist Church. Jean retired from the educational publishing division of CBS (Holt, Rinehart, and Winston), after 25 years followed by 5 years representing the publishing division of Raytheon Corp. (D.C. Heath). He maintained his friendships from Missouri and developed many new friendships in New Mexico.

Jean was inducted into the Dunklin County Hall of Honor in 2008. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Campbell and the Kiwanis Club of Holcomb, MO. He served as the Sunday school superintendent and lay pastor of the Methodist Church in Holcomb. Jean was a two-term president of the New Mexico Educational Publishers Association. He competed in the State of New Mexico and National Senior Olympics in tennis, winning four state and two national ribbons. In addition to enjoying tennis, he was an avid golfer, making a hole in one at the Los Altos golf course. Jean was preceded in death by his wife, Janice, who is the mother of his children, in 1976, and by his two brothers, Paul and Leon. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Suzanne, and by his children, Marjorie Slankard, MD of Del Mar, CA (Alan Bergelson), Jeff Slankard of Oceanside, CA (Sandra), and by 3 grandsons: Alexander Gene and Nicholas Ross Slankard of Oceanside, CA, and Michael Jean Chahinian of Boston, MA. In addition to his devoted family, Jean leaves behind many loving friends, who will remember him for his humor, thoughtfulness, and integrity.

Donations in Jean's honor may be made to St. Paul's United Methodist Church or to the charity of your choice.

A Memorial Service will be held Friday, June 17, 2022, 2:00 p.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 9500 Constitution Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112.