DAVID WILLIAM SLACK

1961 - 2015

It is with honor that I write today to share with you about the life of my dad, DAVID WILLIAM SLACK. He was born on December 13, 1961 in Huntington. The youngest son of William Franklin Slack and Drema Ellen Slack-Young, he grew up on Woodward Terrace with his dear brother, Stephen Robert, and lifelong friends. He attended Geneva Kent Elementary and Beverly Hills Junior High, where he held a record in high jump. Before graduating from Huntington East High School in 1980, he set a record for most rebounds in a game. He then earned a degree in Electronics Technology at the Cabell County Center for Vocational, Technical, and Adult Education. Soon after, he spent eight years in Charlotte, North Carolina (1983-1991) where he made lasting friendships. In 1991 he returned to his hometown in West Virginia, thrilled to be back in the hills where he belonged. He made his career as an artisan woodworker and a carpenter, and his beautiful craftsmanship is displayed in countless homes and businesses throughout the Greater Huntington Area. On June 13, 1985 my dad married my mom, Deborah Lynn Billups. They had two daughters, Marissa Ellen and Kaitlyn Marie, whom he loved dearly. He married Trish Burns on May 1, 2013, who has been by his side for many years. He deeply cared for her son, Blair. If you had the pleasure of knowing my dad, you know his guitar was always in hand, his next trip to the mountains was forever on his mind, The Beatles were permanently in his stereo, and he was most comfortable in a flannel shirt and a worn pair of jeans. Throughout his years he entertained hundreds of friends and family members by the fireside. His fingers strummed to your favorite tune – perhaps it was "Blackbird," "Wish You Were Here," or "Rocky Raccoon" – and his voice echoed into a clear, starry night sky. You remember. My dad had a contagious zeal for life. Those who love him will tell you he always lived in the moment. In his younger days, if his hands weren't preoccupied with a guitar they were dribbling, shooting, or rebounding a basketball. As a teenager he became a skiing enthusiast who frequented Snowshoe for decades and conquered those Black Diamonds – the likes of Cup Run and Shay's Revenge met their match. No matter the season, he was an avid outdoorsman. If he wasn't at the Shoe, on the weekends you would find him camping at Cranberry Glades or another favorite West Virginia spot. If he was "one with nature" he was happy. Hiking. Fishing. Boating. Golfing. Biking. Sunset watching. If you were lucky, you were there with him. You remember. My dad was a talented man who excelled at whatever he put his mind to, as long he could work with his hands. He built your home. He made your furniture. He helped you squeeze every last mile you could out of your car. He was a fixer of all things. You remember. My dad was kind and generous. "Dave has a big heart" is a commonly heard statement around Huntington. If you needed the shirt on his back, he gave it to you. If you needed his last dollar, he stuffed it in your pocket. If you called him in the middle of the night because you needed a friend, he picked up the phone. You remember. After a full life, my dad left us in peace in the early morning hours of Friday, December 4, 2015 while in the care of his loving family. At 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 13, 2015 – my dad's 54th birthday – we will celebrate his life in his old neighborhood, in the gymnasium of Cross Roads United Methodist Church, 3146 Saltwell Rd, Huntington, WV 25705. Please bring a smile and memories as we fondly remember the joy and love he brought to our lives. Thank you to the staff of Marshall University's Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine for their exceptional care of my dad over the past year. He consistently expressed his gratitude for your kindness, humility and support. For a man who despised hospitals, you made his journey an easier one. In lieu of flowers, donations in my dad's memory may be made to the MU School of Medicine Scholarship Foundation, 1600 Medical Center Drive, Huntington, W.Va., 25701. Please make checks payable to the MU Foundation. You may also make a contribution to a charity of your choosing. You may give condolences to our family at www.chapmans-mortuary.com.