Sledge, Walter Ray 'Walt'

1927 - 2011  (83 years)

• Name	Sledge, Walter Ray 'Walt'
  Birth	1 Dec 1927	Jefferson County, Illinois   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Reference Number	SLED.W001
  Death	25 Oct 2011	Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana   [1]
  Funeral	29 Oct 2011	Frank & Bright Funeral Home, Flora, Clay County, Illinois   [1]
  Military Service	World War II, Seaman First Class, United States Navy  [2]
  		United States Navy
  		United States Navy Enlisted Rates
  		World War II (1939-1945)
  		Flag of the United States, 48 Stars (1912-1959) In 1912, two stars were added to the United States flag, representing Arizona and New Mexico, bringing the total number of stars to 48. They were arranged in six rows of eight stars each. American fighting men would fight under this flag during four wars: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the beginning of the Vietnam War. (In 1959, a…
  		Seaman 1st Class (S1c), United States Navy, World War II Seaman Branch rating badges were the only ones worn on the right sleeve, all other branches were worn on the left.
  		Seaman 1st Class (S1c), United States Navy, World War II, Shoulder Piping Seaman Branch rating badges were the only ones worn on the right sleeve; all other branches were worn on the left.
  		United States Navy Shield
  Burial	29 Oct 2011	Elmwood Cemetery, Flora, Clay County, Illinois   [1, 2]
  	Buried with military honors.
  		Headstone, Sledge, Walter Ray
  Person ID	I1667	Carl Wayne Gray Research
  Last Modified	25 Nov 2022

  
  

  Father	Sledge, George Emory,   b. 3 Mar 1885, Jefferson County, Illinois d. 20 Jan 1966, Aurora, Clackamas County, Oregon (Age 80 years)
  Mother	Riley, Mattie E.,   b. 3 Mar 1890   d. 15 Jun 1958 (Age 68 years)
  Marriage	Y  [3]
  Family ID	F1284	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Hoskins, Marilyn I.,   b. 22 Jan 1938, Flora, Clay County, Illinois d. 4 Dec 2010, Clay County Hospital, Flora, Clay County, Illinois (Age 72 years)
  Marriage	23 Feb 1973	Flora, Clay County, Illinois   [1, 2]
  Age at Marriage	He : 45 years and 2 months - She : 35 years and 1 month.
  Children	> 1. Sledge, Donald 'Donnie' > 2. Sledge, Vicky   3. Sledge, Ricky   d. Bef 4 Dec 2010
  Family ID	F502	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 1 Dec 1927 - Jefferson County, Illinois Marriage - 23 Feb 1973 - Flora, Clay County, Illinois Death - 25 Oct 2011 - Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana Funeral - 29 Oct 2011 - Frank & Bright Funeral Home, Flora, Clay County, Illinois Burial - 29 Oct 2011 - Elmwood Cemetery, Flora, Clay County, Illinois  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Walter R. "Walt" Sledge, age 83, of Flora, IL died at 5:40 AM on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. Walt was born on December 1, 1927 in Cole, IL to Emory G. and Mattie (Riley) Sledge. He was united in marriage to Marilyn I. Hoskins on February 23, 1973 in Flora and they celebrated 38 anniversaries together. Marilyn preceded him in death on December 4, 2010. Walt Sledge was the founder and president of Sledge Drilling and Walt Sledge Producing Company. After retiring from his companies, he became a partner in Futures Golf Club in Puryear, Tennessee. When he sold his interest in this course, he purchased and operated Flora Golf and Country Club. Walt became interested in golf as a young caddy and later rose to become a top ranked amateur. He enjoyed the game throughout his life, even taking time to play a round on his wedding day in 1973. Walt was an avid fisherman and talked about plans to get his boat on the lake again soon. He was a loyal fan of St. Louis Cardinals baseball. He served in the Navy during World War II and was of the Baptist faith. His memberships included the Flora Elks, Flora American Legion Post #14, Flora VFW Post #3999, Flora Moose Lodge, the NMN Club, and the Flora Golf & Country Club. He loved his family, and especially "his girls." Because of their dedication, he was able to remain in the comfort of his home during the later days of his illness. Walt is survived by two sons: Donald Sledge and John Conner Jr.; two daughters: Vicky Evans and Cathy S. Kieta; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild; a brother: Bob Sledge; two sisters-in-law: Betty Sledge and Carolyn Sehie; and good friend Lenny Henson. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife (Marilyn), a son (Ricky Sledge), a daughter (Elizabeth Ann Conner), and a brother (Dee L. Sledge). Funeral services for Walt Sledge were held at Frank & Bright Funeral Home in Flora with Pastor Mike Evans officiating. Burial was in Elmwood Cemetery, Flora, with military honors. Memorials to the newly established Walt and Marilyn Sledge Golf Scholarship Fund or to Flora Calvary Baptist Church.

  
  

• Sources

  [S613] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Sledge, Walter R. "Walt", 83, (http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Sledge&GSiman=1&GScid=105559&GRid=79283333&), none. (Reliability: 2). [S614] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Sledge, Walter Ray, (http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Sledge&GSiman=1&GScid=105559&GRid=79283333&), none. (Reliability: 2). [S487] Vickie McCracken, My Clay County Roots, (http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/c/c/Vickie-S-Mccracken-1/index.html 27 Jun 2005) (Reliability: 2).