Walter Slota

Walter Slota, 95, of Washta, passed Thursday, May 9, 2013, at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake, Iowa. Walter was born September 26, 1917, in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, the son of Michael & Tacyanna (Marcina) Slota. His family moved to Danbury, Iowa, when Walter was 9 months old. He attended country school and during high school he rode his horse to school everyday. Also, he rode his horse to baseball practice . After graduation from high school he went to Pennsylvania where he worked in a factory for several years before returning to Iowa where he started farming with his Dad in the early 1940's near Washta. He met his wife Sylvesta Robinson when he started farming, and they were married June 6, 1945 at St. Michael Catholic Church in Kingsley, Iowa. They farmed for 40 years before moving to Washta, Iowa, in 1983, and started having fun. They took dancing lessons in Anthon, Iowa, and never stayed home when they had the chance to go out and enjoy each other. He and Sylvesta traveled to watch their grandchildren play softball and baseball games. Walter was very involved with Heritage Days at Grand Meadow and spent hours of time volunteering to help with this event. He was fond of playing cards and taught his grandchildren how to play Hearts. Traveling was something that Walter and Sylvesta enjoyed and took several bus tours to Nashville, TN, Mardi Gras, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Alabama, Brownsville, Texas, California, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. He served on the Willow Community School Board in Quimby, IA. Walter was a member of St. Michael Catholic Church in Kingsley, and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. Walter is survived by his wife, Sylvesta, of Cherokee, Iowa, six sons, Garry (JoEllen) Slota of Spencer, Iowa, Larry (Barb) Slota of Spencer, Iowa, Terry (Bert) Slota of Kingsley, Iowa, Perry (Barb) Slota of Washta, Iowa, Jerry (Judy) Slota of Washta, Iowa, Kerry (Merrilee) Slota of Foley, Alabama, two daughters, Marcia (Larry) Stone of Des Moines, Iowa, and Karen Slota of Northville, Michigan. There are nineteen grandchildren and sixteen great - grandchildren, three sisters, Pauline Bissey of Charleston, South Carolina, Mary Slota of Dunsmuir, California, and Anne Alesch of Marcus, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter, Linda Hembre, who passed away in 2008, 4 brothers, Joe, John, Gerald and George Slota and one sister, Julia Sedora.