CLAUDE SLAYTON

DONIPHAN -- Claude Eli Slayton, 76, of rural Doniphan, died Wednesday, June 4, 1997, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau after a long illness.

He was born March 28, 1921, in Ripley County and grew up in the region. He lived and worked away from the area for several years before moving back 20 years ago.

He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of the VFW Post at Chaffee.

His wife, Rebecca, died in 1977.

He is survived by two daughters, Mary Foulk of Chaffee and Claudia Rollet of Perryville; a son, Claude Slayton Jr. of Doniphan; three stepsons, John Bagwell of Mesa, Ariz., Ed Bagwell of Walnut Ridge, Ark., and William Bagwell of Cape Girardeau; four stepdaughters, Sue Osborne of St. Peters, Peggy Copeland of Fulton, Ky., Judy Knox of Seneca, S.C., and Carol Graffius of Virginia Beach, Va.; a sister, Ruby Slayton of East St. Louis, Ill.; brother, Luther Slayton of East St. Louis; seven grandchildren; and several great- and step-grandchildren.

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. today at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. Burial will be in the Elizabeth Cemetery.

Visitation was Friday night.