William Earl “Bill” Slade Sr.
William Earl “Bill” Slade Sr., 97, of Vacaville died January 13, 2022, at home of natural causes. Born November 24, 1924, to Minnie Speights and Robert White, he was reared in Williamston, NC, by his Aunt Gatsey and Uncle James Slade.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, stationed in Virginia and Hawaii. After his honorable discharge, he moved to Philadelphia, PA, where he graduated from the Radio Television Institute and the Pennsylvania Institute of Electricity. He worked as a business representative for Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), Philadelphia Local No. 332.
He moved to California in 1965 and worked for the U.S. Postal Service, retiring in 1986. He attended San Francisco City College, majoring in landscaping, and then started his own business, Goldfinger Enterprises-Landscape Services, in 1975.
He moved to Vacaville in 1987 and worked for the Vacaville Unified School District as a campus supervisor, first at Hemlock Elementary School, then at Country High School, where he served as a mentor to countless students.
An affable man who never met a stranger, Mr. Slade was an avid bowler who played in many leagues and traveled Northern California and Nevada for tournaments. Other hobbies included gardening and reading.
He was preceded in death by two wives, Delores (Latham) and Maureen (O’Rourke); daughter, Regina A. Slade; son, Keith T. Slade; brother, James Ollie Brown; and sisters, Anna Belle Bell and Christine White.
He is survived by his longtime companion, Shirlee Goodwin; children, Murad Abdul-Zahir of Elkins Park, PA, Susan Slade of Elk Grove, William Slade III of San Jose; and Amanda Davidson of Vacaville; 12 grandchildren and both numerous great- and great- great-grandchildren.
A funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday, January 28, at McCune Garden Chapel, 212 Main St., Vacaville. Seating will be limited, but the service will be livestreamed via Zoom; email gentamanda707@gmail.com for a link. It will be followed by a celebration of life at Stars Recreation Center Bowling Alley, 155 Browns Valley Parkway. Interment will be private.