Individual Details

Death

Albert Leo Slawson departed this life on Friday, July 11, 2008, at Advance Care Hospital in Fort Smith with his family and friends at his bedside. Born in Dallas on May 27, 1931, to Ann and Henry Slawson, he spent most of his young adult life in Bokoshe, Okla. He joined the Army in 1949, serving in the Korean War, and was wounded on the 38th Parallel. He received the Silver Star, Purple Heart and Bronze Star for Valor, and in 2005, he returned to Korea to receive a service medal from the South Korean government. He enjoyed people commenting that, “if I go today, I have lived a good life.” He worked as a hard-rock miner, mining uranium, gold, silver, lead and copper. After a cave-in in Lordsburg, N.M., he retired and moved to Hackett, where he worked in his wood shop and his garden. He also worked part time for the city of Fort Smith as the mosquito sprayer. He was a past member of the Fort Smith Gun Club. He was preceded in death by his father, Henry Slawson; his first wife, Jean Slawson; two daughters, Candis and Ida May; one son, Patrick John; a grandson, Marty Bednorz; a granddaughter, Shannon Deshay; and a great-grandson, Timothy. Albert touched many lives, and he will be missed by many. Services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, 2008, at Fentress Mortuary Chapel with military honors and burial to follow at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith. Arrangements are under the direction of Fentress Mortuary of Fort Smith. He is survived by his wife, Clara Slawson of the home; eight daughters, Sandy and Erin Rodriguez of Maryville, Wash., Alberta Sires of Deming, N.M., Theresa and Steven Keveny of San Jose, Calif., Pamela and Jan Warrell of Evening Shade, Tina Bullard and Mike Parks of Greenwood, Norma and Bill Bryant of Seoul, South Korea, Nina and Bill Taylor of Waldron and Rita and Shannon Woodruff of Cullman, Ala.; one son, Royal Slawson of Texarkana, Ark.; mother, Ann Furr of Fort Smith; sister, Nina Coker of Fort Smith; brother, Olan Jean Furr of Fort Smith; two stepdaughters, Teresa and Dr. Colman Kent of Jonesboro and Connie and Ronnie McReynolds of Pocahontas; 17 grandchildren; six stepgrandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; two stepgreat-grandchildren; and a host of nephews, nieces and friends. Pallbearers will be K.W. Bullard, Mike Parks, Joe Wilson, Shannon Woodruff, Ian Worrell and Bill Bryant. Honorary pallbearers will be Mark, Keith, Michel and B.J. Rounds. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.