Joyce Louise Slaughter

Joyce Louise Eby Slaughter was born on August 4, 1927 in Dallas, Texas to Eva Williams Eby and Samuel Hillary Eby. Her childhood was spent in the East Texas towns of Tyler and Henderson and in El Dorado, Arkansas. All were the business locations for Eby Engineering, a company started by her father. Joyce passed away on August 24, 2020 after a brief hospital stay.

She loved horseback riding and spent time doing that on her family farm near Swan where she would later live and raise her own family. She always wanted to fly a plane like her dad who was a pilot during the war years of WW1. Her parents wouldn’t allow it as it was too dangerous in those early years of private aviation. Years later, she accomplished this dream and earned her private pilot’s license.

Her education included Hogg Middle School, Tyler High School, Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas at Austin. While at the University, she met her husband of 64 years, Meredith Slaughter.

Joyce and Meredith married in 1948, had three children and she became a stay-at-home mom filling her children’s lives with fun, adventures and love for many years on the family farm. When her children were all in school, she earned her Masters degree in Education and began teaching math and introduction to Spanish, French and German at her beloved Hogg Middle School. She was active as a TJC alumni, and as a Tyler High alumni, she helped plan class reunions – the last one being their 72nd reunion.

Joyce was a long-time member of Swan Methodist Church which became Swan-Wood Springs United Methodist Church. She taught Sunday School there even before she had her own children. She was active in the church as long as she was able and made many good friends over the years.

Resourceful and creative, Joyce was always taking on interesting projects. She tirelessly supported her children’s activities as a home room mother, Bluebirds leader and Cub Scout den mother. She loved being outdoors and was a member of the Swan Garden Club. She loved to travel and has traveled abroad, enjoyed cruises, train trips and driving trips all over the United States.

Joyce’s one sister, Dr. LeVerne Eby, was killed in a car accident in New York in 1948. Joyce was also preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

Her later years have been brightened by reconnecting with a schoolmate, Bob Walters. Both in their 90’s, they enjoyed going to musicals, concerts and just spending time together.

She is survived by her three children: Luane Chancellor, Steve Slaughter and his wife, Pam, and Elisa Nicholson, and her dear friend, Bob Walters. She has one grandchild, Amanda Slaughter.

Joyce’s ashes will be placed beside her husband’s ashes in a family cemetery on the farm near Swan.