Earlene Ellen "Dutch" Slaymaker

1937 - 2024

Earlene "Dutch" Ellen Slaymaker, 87, of Iowa City died November 7, 2024 at UIHC. Funeral Services will be held at 11 AM on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, where family will greet friends prior to the service from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. A luncheon at The Kirkwood Room will follow the funeral. Burial will be at a later date at Oakland Cemetery in Solon. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to her family to be distributed to organizations that were important to Dutch. Dutch was born on February 17, 1937 in Manchester, Iowa to Earl and Mildred (Nandell) Hamlett. She graduated high school in Brooklyn, Iowa before pursuing a degree in Nursing from St. Luke's School of Nursing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. While attending St. Luke's School of Nursing she met her future husband, Bob Slaymaker when they were set up on a blind date. They were united in marriage on February 5, 1959. Dutch spent her career as a nurse specializing in vascular surgery until officially retiring in 2020. She was recognized for numerous publishing's as a pioneer in the field of non-invasive vascular ultrasound. Dutch and Bob loved to travel and spent many trips traveling through the United States, including trips to Alaska and Europe. The couple also enjoyed their winters in Naples and Ft. Myers. She also enjoyed reading, crafting and motor homing. Dutch was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church for many years. She is survived by two daughters, Kim (Joe) Fiala of Troy Mills and Kris (Jim) Stahle of Iowa City; five grandchildren, Melissa (Kyle) Henstorf, Morgan (Tony) Burnell, Matthew (Shelby) Fiala, Kyle (Justine) Stahle and Kody Stahle; 12 great grandchildren Maxwell, Meridith, Kinley and Katalina Henstorf, Jayda, Beau, Briggs and Josie Burnell, Mavrik and Myles Fiala, Rhett and Judson Stahle, and a baby boy on the way; sister Lynda Goodrich; and brother-in-law Ted Becker. Dutch was preceded in death by her husband Bob, her parents, sister Beverly Edelen, siblings-in-law Tom Goodrich, Charlie Edelen, Rita Becker, and Ruth and Chuck Tomas, and mother-in-law Elma Slaymaker.