Dr. Rudie Slaughter jr.

Dr. Rudie Wright Slaughter jr., 83, died Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015, at his home in Cape Girardeau, after a brief struggle with cancer.

He was born April 11, 1931, at Kennett, Missouri, to Rudie Wright Slaughter Sr. and Margaret Evelyn Blankinship Slaughter. He grew up on the family farm near Senath, Missouri, where he was a youth member of First Baptist Church and valedictorian of the Senath High School class of 1949.

He was a Cape Girardeau resident since his May 16, 1997, marriage to Joan Spencer.

Rudie was an active Republican, poll-worker, census-taker, humorous raconteur, avid poker player, amateur genealogist and a Cape Girardeau White Hat.

He is an alumnus of the University of Missouri: bachelor of science, agricultural journalism, 1953, and master of science, agricultural economics, 1964. In 1967, he completed his doctorate in agricultural economics at the University of Illinois.

While a University of Missouri undergraduate, he was the Missouri College Farmers editor and a member of Farm-Writers Guild, Alpha Gamma Sigma, Omega Delta Kappa, Sigma Alpha Mu and the Army Reserve Officer's Training Corps, where he was captain of Scabbard & Blade.

He served in the United States Army as an officer In the 527th Field Artillery Observation Battalion at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Karlsruhe, Germany.

Following his Army service, he was a farmer in Weston, Missouri, an editor for the Mississippi Chemical Cooperative in Yazoo City, and an editor for the Missouri Farm Bureau in Jefferson City. He served in the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture beginning in 1967, first in Washington, D.C., as an economist and then in Columbia, Missouri, as a manager and economist.

He also chaired the board of trustees of First United Methodist Church. In later years he became a realty owner-broker.

Survivors include his wife, Joan Spencer Slaughter; siblings, Margaret "Honey" Baker and husband Leon of Cape Girardeau; Victor B Slaughter and wife Sybl of Lebanon, Missouri, and Allen Jordan Slaughter and wife Sue of Fulton, Missouri; a brother-in-law, Dan Neely of Cape Girardeau.

Also the mother of his children, Sara Ruth Ohlhausen Slaughter of O'Fallon, Illinois; children, Rudie Wright Slaughter III and wife Nila of Fredericksburg, Texas, Sabrina Marie Sellmeyer and husband Jeff of McAlester, Oklahoma, Meril Monroe Slaughter and wife Susan Dewey of Union, Illinois, and Aaron Tory Slaughter and wife Andrea of O'Fallon.

Also nine grandchildren, Aimee Chantel Esther Slaughter and husband Kris Yirak, Tyler Allen Sellmeyer and wife Rachael, Brandon Alexander Slaughter, Andrea Marie Lynch and husband Benjamin, Akiko Rae and Ryan Nicholas, Jacob Christopher, Michael David and Katherine Victoria Slaughter; a great-grandson, Jackson Allen Sellmeyer, a stepdaughter, Robin Odelle Rao of Westminster, Maryland; a stepson, Lucas Coval McWilliams and wife Laura of Lancaster, Kentucky; eight stepgrandchildren; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Elizabeth Ann Neely; and a stepson, William Edward Hood.

A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau, with the Rev. Dr. Kim Nelson officiating. Private interment with military honors will be in Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield.

Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be given to the First Presbyterian Church of Cape Girardeau or to the charity of your choice.

Online condolences may be made at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.