Emma Wanda Lee Koger Sloan

1925 - 2023

Emma Wanda Lee Koger Sloan passed away peacefully on Friday, October 27, 2023. She was born February 11, 1925, in a log cabin on Koger's mountain near Albany, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Jesse and Pearl Stailey Koger, growing up with three sisters on a rural farm at Cannons Mill, KY. When asked about childhood memories, she replied, "Polishing shoes with biscuits, letting milk and butter cool in the creek, gathering eggs, visiting the flour mill, and picking seeds out of cotton."

Wanda attended a one-room schoolhouse at Central Union, KY. During that time, she met the love of her life, O'Ceola Sloan, he was 15 she was 12. Ceola and Wanda dated until his draft into the Army Air Corps during World War II. Meanwhile, in November 1942, she played the lead role in the senior play, "Sunbonnet Jane of Sycamore Lane," and graduated from Clinton County High School, Albany, KY in 1943.

After graduation, she contributed to the war effort by working at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio, as an aircraft parts inspector. While in Akron, she, and Ceola's love letters "crossed in the mail," where both expressed their enduring love for one another. Wanda traveled to see Ceola when he was home on leave, and he proposed. A short time later, she joined her childhood sweetheart, Corporal Sloan, in Jacksonville Beach, Florida where they were married on October 10, 1943.

When the war was over, she and Ceola joined other family members in New Castle, Indiana where they raised four sons: John, Bob, Gary, and Tony. As a young stay-at-home wife and mother, she learned the value of work, family, compassion, and caring for others, being as resourceful as possible, and above all appreciating life's simple pleasures like sitting on the front porch swing every evening.

Wanda was active in civic affairs – the PTA, a den leader with the Cub Scouts, a hospital auxiliary volunteer, serving on the election board and working in her church. She was an active member of the First Church of the Nazarene, sang in the choir, was Cradle Roll and Nursery Supervisor, a Sunday School teacher, and at the time of her passing was the oldest and longest attending member of the church. She was a talented homemaker, a wonderful cook (famous within the family for her chicken and dumplings), a seamstress, and later a successful purveyor of Empire Crafts Nobility Prestige China. She won several national awards as a top salesperson for the company.

A devoted wife, mother, sister, and grandmother, she absolutely loved being called Grandma, Memaw, and GGMa by her grandchildren. She appreciated Psalm 139, saying, "This Psalm is so very encouraging to know God takes care of us in all our ways. I think of my own life, through my growing up years and how God directed my life, my marriage, gave us our home, guided us in raising four sons, and how very proud I am of all of them. My family is my life, my love, my hope."

She is survived by three sons, Bob (Janet) Sloan, Gary (Christie Brown) Sloan, and Tony (Tonya) Sloan; grandchildren Chris (Rachel) Sloan, Amy (Brad) Thomas, Sherri (Scott) Bohinc, Jerry (Kyle) Sloan, Susan (Christopher) Shaw, Julia and Owen Sloan, and Laura and Sara Sloan. Great grandchildren Logan, Ryan, and Tara Sloan; Ava, Landon, Braxton, and Bella Bohinc; Kai and Cole Sloan; and William and Joseph Robert Shaw. Also, a half-brother Joe (Helen) Koger, half-sister Janice Koger (Mike) Anderson, half-brother Gary (Karen) Koger, half-sister Anna Lorene Duvall (Larry) Cox, former daughter-in-law Sandy Sloan, stepdaughter Dee Snider, nieces Linda Houston, Donna Jean (Dennis) Kile, Barbara Sue (Bill) Ledbetter, Ruth Ann (John) LaLonde, and nephews Terry (Linda) Cross, Larry (Lynn) Harding, and Darryl (Amy) Penticuff along with numerous great nieces/nephews living throughout the United States including a very special great niece Teresa Cross Brand.

Wanda was one of the last members of The Greatest Generation, and we shall not see the likes of them again. She is predeceased by her beloved husband of 71 years O'Ceola, her first born son, Lt Col John (Cara) Sloan, USAF (Ret), sisters and brothers-in-law Gwendolyn and Murl Cross, Evelyn and Newman Craig, Kathleen and Joe King, nephews James Harold Cross, Norman Dale and Suzzane Craig, Benny and Annette Cross, and half-brother Jerry Wayne Koger.

Fortunate is the one who loves and is loved. A Celebration of Life will be held at the First Church of the Nazarene in New Castle on Thursday, November 2, 2023 at 2 p.m. Pastors Danny Goddard and Gene Bennett will officiate. Visitation will be from 1 until time of the service on Thursday. For those who cannot attend in person, the service will be livestreamed online at ncfirstnaz.org. Wanda Lee will be laid to rest with her beloved O'Ceola at Central Grove Cemetery, Albany, KY on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 1 p.m. Arrangements have been entrusted to Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service in New Castle. Condolences and memories of Wanda may be shared at www.hinsey-brown.com.

In lieu of flowers, Wanda and the family request memorials be sent to The Joseph Robert Shaw Foundation, 5117 52nd Street, N.W., Washington, D. C. 20016 to aid children living with disabilities.

The family would like to give a heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in our mother's well-being at Senior Living at Forest Ridge, Henry County Health, and Glen Oaks Health Campus in New Castle. Your institutions are unique in their compassion for their residents.