Donald Sluder

Leicester - Donald Sluder, 89, of 200 Morgan Branch Rd. went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, April 21, 2004. A native of Buncombe County, he had lived in Penderlea, NC for 12 years before returning to Buncombe County in 1959. Mr. Sluder was a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church where he was a Deacon, Mens Sunday School Teacher and sang in the Adult Choir. He retired from M.B. Haynes Electric Co. in 1976. He was a fox hunter, a woodcrafter who made miniature wooden houses, and he enjoyed Southern Gospel music and took pride in listening to his daughters sing at various churches. Mr. Sluder was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather who loved his family. To know Donald was to know God. He was a wonderful Christian man, always carried a smile on his face and never knew a stranger. He loved animals dearly and told the best stories, one of which was published in The Tales of Asheville. Mr. Sluder was the son of the late Rev. Ervin and Hester DeWeese Sluder. He was also preceded in death by his son, Jerry Sluder, grandson, Robert, great granddaughter, Nikki, sister, Lois Nesbitt, and brother, Bob Sluder. Surviving are his wife of 64 years, Della Payne Sluder of the home; daughters, Kay McCracken and husband David of Asheville, Melinda Morgan and husband Webb and Joy Cipar and husband Dale all of Leicester; son, Wayne Sluder and wife Kathryn of Leicester; grandchildren, Karen, Autumn, Josh, Amy, Jeff and Tony; great grandchildren, Kassie, Mark, Jennifer and Kasey; sisters, Bonnie Alexander and Margaret Ponder both of Weaverville; brothers, George Sluder of Penderlea, Rev. Jennis Sluder of Tenn., Elbert Sluder of Hendersonville, and Joe Sluder of Weaverville. Funeral services will be held at 11 AM Saturday at Zion Hill Baptist Church with the Revs. Michael Scroggs and Ralph Sexton, Jr. officiating. Burial will be in Mtn. View Cemetery, Alexander. Pallbearers will be Dean Sluder, George Sluder, Keith Radcliff, Jerry Sluder, Randy Candler, John Troy Sluder and Tony Sluder. The family will receive friends from 7 until 9 PM Friday at Anders-Rice Funeral Home. At other times, the family will be at the residence Flowers are welcome and appreciated and memorials may be made to the Zion Hill Family Life Center, 1008 Newfound Rd., Leicester, NC 28748.