Gardenia D. "Aunt Gar" Slater

Gardenia Slater lived with compassion, quiet strength, and a heart wide enough to hold everyone she met. Born in South Norfolk, Virginia, Gardenia graduated from George Washington Carver High School in 1956. Gardenia spent over three decades guiding young minds with patience and purpose within the Norfolk Public School system. Her classroom was a sanctuary of encouragement and warm smiles.

Beyond the classroom, she was a gifted athlete, becoming the first black female umpire in Norfolk-an achievement she was recognized for by The Norfolk Tides at Harbor Park Stadium. She was also the keeper of countless family traditions passed down through generations. She filled her 87 years with love, laughter, and a devotion to family and community.

Gardenia is survived by her daughter and son-in-law-Robin Slater-Hubbard, Terrance Hubbard-her two beloved grandchildren-April and Rashad Winston, and a wide circle of extended family and friends who knew her as "Aunt Gar". Her legacy lives on in the seeds she planted-in the earth, in hearts, and in the lives she touched.

Flowers will be accepted in memory of a Gardenia that blossomed.