Olena was born June 5, 1918 in Graves County, Kentucky. She left her western Kentucky home in 1941 and moved to Chicago. During WWII, she met Lt W.A. Sloan Jr. in Chicago and they married after the war in 1946.
They soon moved to Austin and joined University Avenue Church of Christ. Olena and W.A. were active in University Avenue Church of Christ, from the mid 1940’s until their deaths.
Olena and W.A. raised four children, Mary, Bill, Tom and Joe. Olena’s family life revolved around her children, church, and W.A.’s busy schedule as a high school principal and naval reserve officer. She was a mom, grandmother and great-grandmother first and always. Olena enjoyed volunteering at the church in many ways, such as, serving at the Christian Service Center, cooking meals with friends on Wednesday nights, helping with church events and showers, and teaching Sunday school – she was woven into the life of the church.
Olena also made time to serve in community leadership roles which included various Garden Clubs, Austin Woman’s Club and volunteering at Brackenridge Hospital.
Blessed with good health, she was a regular at Crenshaw Athletic Club through her 101st year.
She was willing to let you know what she thought, and everyone she left behind loved her and were better because of her gentle nature. Besides her four children, she had eleven grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren.
Remembrances can be made in her name to Central Texas Children’s Home or Austin Graduate School of Theology.
