Vernon Slaton Sr.

VERNON "EARL" SLATON SR.

Cedar Rapids

Vernon "Earl" Slaton Sr., 77, of Cedar Rapids, died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, at St. Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids. Services: 10 a.m. Monday, March 2, at First Church of the Open Bible, Cedar Rapids, conducted by the Revs. Daniel Sanford and Charles Stevens. Family will greet friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, March 1, at the Legacy Center at Murdoch-Linwood, Cedar Rapids. Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Slaton of Cedar Rapids; children, Carol Crooks, John (Chris) Slaton, Deb (Jim) Baker and Vern Slaton Jr., all of Cedar Rapids; siblings, Bobby (Betty) Slaton of Cedar Rapids, Carol Wayne (Sharon) Slaton of Lowden and Wanda (Chuck) Church, Gail (Don) Finn and Judie (Scott) Phillips, all of Cedar Rapids; sister-in-law, Pam Slaton of Cedar Rapids; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; his dog, Sadie; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Donnie Slaton.

Earl was born Jan. 20, 1938, in Madisonville, Ky., son of Basil and Nellie (Luttrell) Slaton. He attended high school in Kentucky before moving to Cedar Rapids, where he worked construction. Earl served in the United States Army from 1961 to 1963. After his discharge he returned to Kentucky, where he met Dorothy Crutchleo. They married Jan. 8, 1966, in Cedar Rapids. Earl owned the Gulf Service Station before going to work for Kenway. Earl then started his own business, Earl's Backhoe and Sewer Service, where he retired after 30 years, when he sold it to his son, John.

Earl enjoyed fishing, hunting, tinkering in the garage and fixing things. He loved people and was a godly man praying for others, but most important was his family.

Please share a memory of Earl at www.murdoch funeralhome.com under obituaries.