John Slattery

John Slattery, 77, of Buckeye, Arizona died at his home on January 15, 2024. He was born on November 20, 1946, in Bronx, NY to Jean and Ed Slattery. Two important qualities come to mind when talking about John Slattery: hard working and dedicated. Whether it was for his wife of 58 years, Nancy, his children, his grandchildren, his career, or his hobbies — if John was going to do it, he did it with his whole heart. John married Nancy — his high school sweetheart — in the frantic days before he was shipped to Vietnam. Though they spent those two early years apart, it was rarely so after that. Whatever life had in store, John and Nancy faced it together. They were brave in making decisions they thought would be good for them and their family — moving from New Jersey to Washington State and finally to Arizona, covering three corners of the country. John had a long and varied career, finally retiring as a Control Room Operator for his favorite Seattle Mariners. His hobbies were as vast as his employment background. From politics to stained glass to coaching and — first and foremost — fishing. If John was on the water, he was happy — whether it was with a fly rod in his hand or dropping shrimp pots off his son’s boat. After retirement, John and Nancy set out to achieve their goal of visiting all 50 states. They put many miles on a couple of trucks and a few trailers and finished this quest in 2022. Always an outdoorsman, John instilled this same passion in his children and son-in-law. Camping adventures and fishing trips are some of the most treasured memories they all share. John taught his family that there are few things that can’t be made better by sitting around a campfire or standing in a river. John was a wealth of knowledge, the consummate wise guy, and a savage card player. His family and friends loved him because (and sometimes in spite) of it. As possibly the greatest compliment, his children recognize how much they’ve modeled their lives after his — enjoying long-term relationships, loyalty to their beliefs, a deep love of nature, and the commitment to embracing new, big things. The example and shadow he cast looms large over so many things that have enriched their lives. John was beloved by his five grandchildren. He never missed an opportunity to tell them how proud they made him and how much he loved them — especially when they displayed some of those traits mentioned above that he passed down. We will forever miss his affectionate teasing, his big hugs, secret handshakes, and “Love yas “. John is survived by his wife Nancy Slattery; children Johnene (Eric) Loverich and Tim (Amanda) Slattery; sisters Kathleen Slattery and Johnene (Ken) Granger; brothers Robert (Michelle) Slattery, Ed (Solange) Slattery, Tommy (Tuuli) Granger; grandchildren Maddie Joy Loverich, Parker John Loverich, Josie Jean Luckhurst-Slattery, Tristan Conrad Slattery and Johnny Granger Slattery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in John’s name to Project Healing Waters – a foundation helping veterans in need of healing through camaraderie and fly fishing – https://projecthealingwaters.org/