Jackie Slone

Jackie C “Jack” Slone, 89, born December 1, 1933, in Mize, Kentucky, son of Oshel Conard and Ina Marie
McGuire Slone, died peacefully on June 1, 2023, after a long illness, at his home in Summerville, South
Carolina, where he lived with his loving granddaughter Casey Willhoit Travelstead and her husband
Tommy. For the last couple decades, he had lived with and been under the care of his wife and longtime
companion, Wanda, until her sudden death in March of this year.

He is survived by his sister, Mabel Sue Slone Hess of Springfield, Ohio; daughter Marcella “Marcie”
McGuire (Jim Thaxter) of Columbia, Missouri; son John “Skip” Slone (Nan), of Orlando, Florida; two
stepsons, Larry Willhoit (Sheilah) of Sadieville, Kentucky, and David Willhoit (Cindy) of Summerville;
stepdaughter Sonia Rowland (Freddy) of Front Royal, Virginia; eleven grandchildren; eighteen great-
grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; plus countless others who lovingly called him Pappaw. In
addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wives, Mary Gwendolyn “Gwen” (née Cranfill)
Slone Curry, Wanda June (née Hamilton) Willhoit Slone, and Mary Eulalah “Cricket” (née Parrish) Votaw
Slone; brother Willie Lucian “Bill” Slone; two sisters, Norma Jean Slone Blair and Phyllis Joan Slone Reed;
and one granddaughter, Megan Sleadd.

He grew up mostly in Eastern and Central Kentucky, but also lived for short periods in Ohio and Florida.
He graduated from Garth High School in Georgetown, Kentucky, and attended Georgetown College and
the University of Kentucky, where he played football under Coach Bear Bryant.
He joined the US Navy in 1952 and retired in 1984. During that time, he spent considerable time aboard
three different aircraft carriers (USS Coral Sea, USS Kitty Hawk, and USS Constellation). His duty
assignments included support of NATO operations in the Mediterranean, support of the war in Vietnam
from aboard ship in the South China Sea, and numerous Cold War activities. During those years, he
visited approximately eighty countries. Following his retirement from the Navy, he held a variety of jobs,
mostly in customer-facing positions in the retail sector. He particularly enjoyed his job in the Seafood
department at Publix. He also ran several small businesses.

He enjoyed watching sports, especially NASCAR and Kentucky Wildcats, and spending time with family
and friends, particularly his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be remembered for his
storytelling and his sense of humor. He would often say he had many vivid memories of his childhood,
some of which were true!

Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 am on Sunday, June 11, 2023, at McAlister-Smith Funeral and
Cremation - Goose Creek, 869 St. James Avenue in Goose Creek, South Carolina. A graveside service will
follow immediately afterwards at Whispering Pines Memorial Gardens in Moncks Corner, South
Carolina.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at mcalister-smith.com/. Funeral
arrangements have been entrusted to Goose Creek, 869 St James Ave, Goose Creek, SC 29445, (843)
553-1511. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to K9s for Warriors
(https://k9sforwarriors.org), Macular Degeneration Association (https://macularhope.org) or another
charity of your choice.