Billie "Jean" Slaughter

Billie Jean Slaughter, beloved mother, grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on October 29, 2025, at the age of 95.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m., Monday, November 17, 2025, at Osborn Funeral Home.
A funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at Northwest Louisiana Veteran Cemetery.

Jean was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 72 years, Thomas Slaughter, Jr; her sons, Thomas Slaughter, III and John Slaughter; her twin sister, Billie Doris in infancy, and her parents, Tressie Lee Boyett Manning and R. C. Higginbotham. Jean is survived by her two daughters, Theresa Bennett and Lisa Tarantola (Bruce), and her three grandchildren: Ronnie Bennett, Melissa Tarantola and Dan Tarantola.

Jean was born on December 1, 1929, in Taylor, Arkansas. She moved to Shreveport as a teenager to attend St. Vincent's Academy, later Jean and Tom met when he was stationed at Barksdale AFB and married April 21, 1950. She graduated from LSU Shreveport, and LSU Baton Rouge with a master's degree in social work.

Jean spent her entire career in Social Work working for the Caddo Parish School Board, retiring at the age of 81 after 30 years of public service. During her long career she also was part of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) lobbying in both Washington DC and Baton Rouge for the rights of this vulnerable population. She was instrumental in educating the public about mental illness, fighting for parity in insurance coverage for mental illness, and helping lay the groundwork for the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996.

Amongst the many awards she received for her work she was most proud of the Dorothy Schenthal Leadership Award, given to her by the state NASW chapter of Louisiana. She was also awarded the School Social Worker of the Year in 1996.

The family wishes to thank her wonderful caregivers - Denise Anderson, Diane McCasland, Sheriann Moore and Alexis Hopkins.

The family is requesting in lieu of flowers donations be made the National Alliance on Mental Illness.