Charles Slay
| Charles Otis Slay, Jr. | |
 | |
| In office 1974 – 1996 | |
Member, Rapides Parish School Board
| |
| In office 1948–1973 | |
| Born | December 14, 1921 Holloway, Rapides Parish, Louisiana |
|---|---|
| Died | April 13, 2019 (aged 97) Libuse, Rapides Parish |
| Resting place | Holloway Cemetery |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Elaine Sills Slay (married 1943-2011, her death) |
| Children | Charles O. Slay, III
Irene Slay Norris |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Religion | Southern Baptist |
Charles Otis Slay, Jr. (December 14, 1921 – April 13, 2019), was a Democratic politician and farmer in his native Rapides Parish, Louisiana.
Biography
Born in Holloway, east of the parish seat of Alexandria, he was one of five children of Charles "Buck" Slay, Sr. (1894-1967), and the former Louella Sullivan (1889-1996).[1]
A decorated veteran of the United States Army in World War II, Slay served in the 104th Infantry Division Timberwolves as staff sergeant. He fought on the front lines at the Battle of the Bulge in 1944 and received a Bronze Star. While on leave during the war in September 1943, he wed the former Elaine Sills. They were together for sixty-eight years until her death in 2011. On his return from the war, he was elected from Ward 11 to the Rapides Parish School Board, a post he filled from 1948 to 1973. During part of this time, he was the board president.[2]
He worked as a deputy parish tax assessor until 1974, when he became assessor, a post he filled for twenty-two years. He was a former president of the Louisiana Assessor's Association and served as president of the International Association of Assessing Officers. In 1973, Slay was elected on a non-partisan ballot to the Louisiana Constitutional Convention, which subsequently authored the Louisiana Constitution of 1974. Slay was considered an expert on property tax matters and served as chairman of the convention's taxation committee. Slay established the first permanent homestead exemption in the state.[2]
For many years he raised cattle on Holloway's Prairie and was active in the Louisiana Cattleman's Association. In 1996, he restored eighty acres in Holloway's Prairie for the planting of a mayhaw orchard, possibly the largest orchard of its kind in the world. Mayhaw is used in the production of a specialized jelly. He was also a member of the Louisiana Forestry Association for many years and was recognized as having planted the one millionth acre of timber in the state.[2]
Charles and Elaine Slay had three children, Charles O. Slay, III, the husband of the former Kimberly Kramer; Irene Slay Norris, the wife of Karl Norris, and Melinda Slay Hughes, who is married to Steve Hughes. There were eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Slay died at his home in Libuse at the age of ninety-seven. Though he was a charter member of Unity Baptist Church in Pineville, his services were held at the Holloway United Methodist Church. The Slays are interred at Holloway Cemetery.[2]
Slay was a maternal uncle of state Representative Carl Newton Gunter, Jr. (1938-1999), a Democrat who held the District 27 state House seat from 1972 to 1992. Strongly pro-life, Gunter was also a favorite of organized labor. Gunter's mother, Gladys Slay Gunter Richardson (1920-2009), was one of Charles Slay's sisters.
References
- ↑ Charles Otis Slay, Sr.. Geni.com. Retrieved on April 18, 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Charles O. Slay, r.. Alexandria Town Talk (April 17, 2019).
