Frank Heidl Slocum, Jr., proud father and grandfather, passed away on January 9, 2026 at the age of 82 in Tierra Verde, Florida, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Plainfield, New Jersey on June 30, 1943, Frank was also a proud Jersey Boy through and through.
He was a direct descendant of Giles Slocum, who immigrated from Somerset, England to Portsmouth, Rhode Island in the 1640s along the line of Giles’ son Nathaniel whom was associated with a small group of settlers whom established Long Branch, New Jersey. Famously the Slocums negotiated land with the local Native American Lenape tribe deciding on a wrestling match between their chosen Native American, Vow-a-Vapon, and John Slocum, brother to Nathaniel. Vow-a-Vapon arrived covered in goose grease and John Slocum threw fistfuls of sand to get a good grip and won the “best two out of three” matches. The prize was as much land as could be walked in a day, which ended up being 375 acres of land at 20 shillings an acre. A total payment was made of 4 pounds which became Long Branch, NJ.
Frank grew up in Westfield, New Jersey and decided as a young boy he would be a pilot when he grew up. After graduating from Westfield High School in 1961 and Clemson University in 1966, he served seven years in the Air Force piloting AC-47 “Spooky” gunships during his two tours in Vietnam. He saw duty in both Vietnam and Thailand. Returning to the states, Frank was assigned to KC-135 airborne tankers. Frank quickly joined the “S” crew of experienced flyers often tasked to special duty. He also flew in the highly promoted SAC Worldwide flight World Series and placed among the top competitors.
Frank met Cheryl Lynn Hayes, from Sarasota, Florida, in Tampa, Florida while he was stationed at McDill Air Force Base. They married in 1973 and Frank earned his master’s degree in Industrial Management from Central Michigan University. Frank was honorably discharged from the Air Force with the rank of Captain in 1974. After a year in Cleveland, Ohio working at TRW, Frank took a job at AAMCO Transmission Engineering in Pennsauken, New Jersey creating arguably the best hotline in the transmission industry amongst other accomplishments. Settling briefly in Clementon, NJ Frank and Cheryl completed building a house in 1977 at the beloved 120 Christopher Mill Road in Medford, NJ and raised their three daughters there. Frank went on to become a successful senior executive in the automotive industry, specializing in automotive drivetrain and transmissions at Raybestos Powertrain based in Crawfordsville, Indiana and in the summer of 1996 Frank and family moved there where they together enjoyed their Midwest era. After Cheryl’s passing in 2007 and his retirement from Raybestos, Frank bought a place in the St. Pete Beach area on the island of Tierra Verde, Florida. The wearing of Hawaiian shirts continued and Frank settled in nicely into the Florida lifestyle. Always wanting to stay busy, Frank started Slocum Enterprises which worked out the logistics to recycle Kevlar from expired bulletproof vests to be reused for friction material for car parts.
If you spent time with Frank, you’d probably find yourself in conversation about at least one of his favorite subjects: Slocum family history, genealogy, his favorite restaurants, career advice, Clemson stories, his three girls, his five grandchildren, Air Force days, planes, trains and automobiles, manufacturing and engineering processes, finance, the stock market or the book he authored, Seven Names Off the Wall. Frank was an eternal optimist, truly thinking he or anyone could do anything. He wrote his own rules—and expected and encouraged everyone else to do the same. He was known for his individuality and one-liners. He liked to help people by providing innovative ideas and advice, often following up after more thought and with guidance. His natural confidence and optimism served him well throughout life, stepping up to be a hero on more than one occasion—saving the life of a drowning girl, and then again saving himself and seven other souls in Vietnam after taking over and safely landing their plane after it sustained extensive mortar damage with an injured crew. Everyone always loved to hear a story from Frank—or one about him.
Left to cherish Frank’s bright memory are his brother, Ray G. Slocum of Blairstown, New Jersey, three daughters Courtney (Matthew) Petersen of Boston, Massachusetts, Kyleigh (Nate) Moore of Alpharetta, Georgia and Whitney (John) Burkett of Tampa, Florida, his bright-eyed grandchildren Claire and Grant Petersen, Beatrice and Ivy Burkett and Wyatt Moore, sister-in-law Marilyn Hayes and brother-in-law Thomas (Tracy) Hayes, nephews Bryant (Marisa) Hayes, Weston Hayes and Greg Slocum, niece Laurence Pass and the Alston family, as well as many friends and family.
Frank is preceded in death by his parents, Frank Heidl Slocum, Sr. and Florence (Gibson) Slocum, his cherished wife Cheryl Lynn (Hayes) Slocum, sisters-in-law Jackie Hayes and Barbara Slocum, mother-in-law Dorothy May (Rupert) Hayes and many adored cats.
A celebration of life to honor the life of Frank Heidl Slocum, Jr. will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at noon at Ferraro’s Restaurant in Westfield, New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his honor to support breast cancer research at Metavivor.org.
He was a direct descendant of Giles Slocum, who immigrated from Somerset, England to Portsmouth, Rhode Island in the 1640s along the line of Giles’ son Nathaniel whom was associated with a small group of settlers whom established Long Branch, New Jersey. Famously the Slocums negotiated land with the local Native American Lenape tribe deciding on a wrestling match between their chosen Native American, Vow-a-Vapon, and John Slocum, brother to Nathaniel. Vow-a-Vapon arrived covered in goose grease and John Slocum threw fistfuls of sand to get a good grip and won the “best two out of three” matches. The prize was as much land as could be walked in a day, which ended up being 375 acres of land at 20 shillings an acre. A total payment was made of 4 pounds which became Long Branch, NJ.
Frank grew up in Westfield, New Jersey and decided as a young boy he would be a pilot when he grew up. After graduating from Westfield High School in 1961 and Clemson University in 1966, he served seven years in the Air Force piloting AC-47 “Spooky” gunships during his two tours in Vietnam. He saw duty in both Vietnam and Thailand. Returning to the states, Frank was assigned to KC-135 airborne tankers. Frank quickly joined the “S” crew of experienced flyers often tasked to special duty. He also flew in the highly promoted SAC Worldwide flight World Series and placed among the top competitors.
Frank met Cheryl Lynn Hayes, from Sarasota, Florida, in Tampa, Florida while he was stationed at McDill Air Force Base. They married in 1973 and Frank earned his master’s degree in Industrial Management from Central Michigan University. Frank was honorably discharged from the Air Force with the rank of Captain in 1974. After a year in Cleveland, Ohio working at TRW, Frank took a job at AAMCO Transmission Engineering in Pennsauken, New Jersey creating arguably the best hotline in the transmission industry amongst other accomplishments. Settling briefly in Clementon, NJ Frank and Cheryl completed building a house in 1977 at the beloved 120 Christopher Mill Road in Medford, NJ and raised their three daughters there. Frank went on to become a successful senior executive in the automotive industry, specializing in automotive drivetrain and transmissions at Raybestos Powertrain based in Crawfordsville, Indiana and in the summer of 1996 Frank and family moved there where they together enjoyed their Midwest era. After Cheryl’s passing in 2007 and his retirement from Raybestos, Frank bought a place in the St. Pete Beach area on the island of Tierra Verde, Florida. The wearing of Hawaiian shirts continued and Frank settled in nicely into the Florida lifestyle. Always wanting to stay busy, Frank started Slocum Enterprises which worked out the logistics to recycle Kevlar from expired bulletproof vests to be reused for friction material for car parts.
If you spent time with Frank, you’d probably find yourself in conversation about at least one of his favorite subjects: Slocum family history, genealogy, his favorite restaurants, career advice, Clemson stories, his three girls, his five grandchildren, Air Force days, planes, trains and automobiles, manufacturing and engineering processes, finance, the stock market or the book he authored, Seven Names Off the Wall. Frank was an eternal optimist, truly thinking he or anyone could do anything. He wrote his own rules—and expected and encouraged everyone else to do the same. He was known for his individuality and one-liners. He liked to help people by providing innovative ideas and advice, often following up after more thought and with guidance. His natural confidence and optimism served him well throughout life, stepping up to be a hero on more than one occasion—saving the life of a drowning girl, and then again saving himself and seven other souls in Vietnam after taking over and safely landing their plane after it sustained extensive mortar damage with an injured crew. Everyone always loved to hear a story from Frank—or one about him.
Left to cherish Frank’s bright memory are his brother, Ray G. Slocum of Blairstown, New Jersey, three daughters Courtney (Matthew) Petersen of Boston, Massachusetts, Kyleigh (Nate) Moore of Alpharetta, Georgia and Whitney (John) Burkett of Tampa, Florida, his bright-eyed grandchildren Claire and Grant Petersen, Beatrice and Ivy Burkett and Wyatt Moore, sister-in-law Marilyn Hayes and brother-in-law Thomas (Tracy) Hayes, nephews Bryant (Marisa) Hayes, Weston Hayes and Greg Slocum, niece Laurence Pass and the Alston family, as well as many friends and family.
Frank is preceded in death by his parents, Frank Heidl Slocum, Sr. and Florence (Gibson) Slocum, his cherished wife Cheryl Lynn (Hayes) Slocum, sisters-in-law Jackie Hayes and Barbara Slocum, mother-in-law Dorothy May (Rupert) Hayes and many adored cats.
A celebration of life to honor the life of Frank Heidl Slocum, Jr. will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at noon at Ferraro’s Restaurant in Westfield, New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his honor to support breast cancer research at Metavivor.org.
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