Stephen Robert Slater was released from his long struggle with cancer on April 3, 2023. He was

63 years old. Steve was the fifth of seven children born to the late Raymond and Jacqueline

(nee: McHugh) Slater of Fleetville, PA.

After graduating from Lackawanna Trail High School, Steve enlisted in the U.S. Navy and saw

action in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm. He married Mary Conrad of Mountain

View, PA, in 1986. They were blessed with two children, Stephen and Megan. The family lived in

North Carolina for several years and then Florida, most recently in Hawthorne. Though he did

not like cold winters, as his illness progressed, Steve moved back to Tunkhannock, PA, where

he was cared for lovingly by his daughter.

Steve inherited his father’s mechanical aptitude and gregarious nature. He repaired motorized

wheelchairs, usually at the customer’s home. He was not just fixing their wheelchair; he was

restoring their independence, while brightening their day.

Steve had an inquiring mind (which was not always appreciated by his teachers) and loved to

read. A close friend described him best: “A kind, compassionate, hardworking, intelligent human

being who likes good music.” He also had a dry sense of humor and an appreciation for life’s

absurdities. He rooted for and empathized with the underdog; he was one himself.

He was predeceased by his son. He is mourned by and cherished in the memories of his wife,

Mary; his daughter, Megan McNamara (John); his siblings: Jacqueline Goodman (Brad),

Michele Alden (George), Raymond (Cindy), Margaret Zalewski (Joe), Ellen Woelfel (John), and

John “Bud” (Suzanne), as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.

Funeral arrangements are private. A celebration of life will be held later this summer.

www.aplitwinfuneralhomes.com