Joan Marie Slack

Joan Marie Slack, 91, passed away peacefully at home in Las Vegas, Nevada with her daughters at her side on March 11, 2022. She was the eldest in a family of 4 children, born on May 1, 1930 on the Frank Belanger Settlement in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Her parents were the late Alexander Butterfield and Elizabeth (Vander Venter) Butterfield. She grew up on the Belanger Settlement and attended Bayfield High School. She attended and graduated from St. Bernards School of Nursing in Chicago, IL, and worked as an operating room registered nurse for over 40 years at a various hospitals including Sharpe Memorial in San Diego, Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago IL, and Bethany Methodist Hospital(where she was supervisor of the OR), also in Chicago IL. She had been married to Richard Gadbois from 1955 to 1965, and Lamar Slack from 1967 to 1972, and both preceded her in death. In 1985 she returned to the Red Cliff reservation in Northern Wisconsin to serve, eventually, as the reservation’s Health Director, and she also served as a member Tribal Council for a time. In 1997, she retired and moved to Henderson NV to live with her daughter Cathy. She was an Avon lady for about 40 years, from the mid-70’s ‘til about 2010, a Tupperware representative for many years, and a crossing guard from 2000 until 2006. Her hobbies included knitting, crochet, sewing, and quilting, and she could make the absolutely best lasagna ever.

A lifelong devout Catholic, Joan was always active in supporting her churches and their communities. In the mid to late ‘70s She and her sister Dolores supported the Little Brothers of the Poor ministry by opening their home to host approximately 20 handicapped and elderly for Thanksgiving Dinner every year. Throughout her life, she frequently helped with church prayer meetings, breakfasts, and bazaars.

She was preceded in death by her siblings—Dolores Butterfield, Wilma Morris, and Allan Butterfield, and her nieces Elaine Hill, Carol Wilburn, and Alice Hansen. She is survived by her children Catherine (Patrick) Becker of Las Vegas, NV; Daniel (Barbara) Gadbois of Red Cliff, WI; Theresa (John) Baynes of O’Fallon, IL; and Robert Slack of Henderson, NV; as well as her sister-in-law Betty Butterfield of Red Cliff, WI; grandchildren Ali Becker of Las Vegas, NV; Linda Baynes of Sherman Oaks, CA; Eli Baynes of O’Fallon, IL; Thomas Gadbois of Red Cliff, WI; and her nieces and nephews Allan (Sue) Butterfield of Washburn, WI; Edward (Cindy) Butterfield and Rebecca (Eugene) Gordon of Red Cliff, WI; Doreen Butterfield of,WI; Vincent (Pam) Butterfield of Red Cliff, WI; and great grandchildren Graesun Rey and Beckett Rey of Las Vegas, NV.

There will be a memorial service at 11:00 am on June 25th 2022 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Bayfield, WI, followed by a private burial of her ashes in the Belanger Settlement Cemetery, and a Celebration of Joan’s Life reception at the Elderly Facility in Red Cliff.

Joan’s daughter Cathy was her primary caregiver throughout her final decade of life. Cathy was able to continue to work and keep Joan living at home mainly because of the loving, supportive, affordable care and services provided at the Adult Day Care Center of Las Vegas. This day care is operated by the Nevada Senior Services 501c non-profit. The family requests that any memorial donations in Joan’s name be made to the Nevada Senior Services (http://adultdaycarelv.org/donate.cfm

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmcheyenne.com for the family.