Edward J. Slattery

Edward J. Slattery (Ed), 91, a lifelong resident of Lincoln, died peacefully at home on Thursday, August 11, 2022, surrounded by his devoted family. Ed was the beloved husband of Doris (Hedstrom) Slattery. The couple was married 56 years and had 3 children and 2 grandchildren.

Ed was the son of the late John C. and Ann (Skenyon) Slattery of Lincoln and brother to John F. Slattery, all of whom predeceased him. In addition to his loving wife, Doris, Ed is survived by son Stephen Slattery of Lincoln, daughter Maureen Slattery of Cumberland, daughter Christine Bonnell and her husband Corey Bonnell, Col. USMC (Ret) of Waxahachie, TX, grandchildren Alexandra Bean (Jordan)  of Benbrook, TX and Madison Bonnell of Wesley Chapel, FL as well as beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

Ed attended St. Raphael’s Academy before receiving a Bachelor’s degree from Providence College in 1953. He later received his Master’s degree from Bridgewater State College in 1959. After graduating from PC, Ed enlisted in the US Army, making lifelong friends as he experienced duty stations in Texas, Missouri, and Georgia during the Korean War era. He was proud to have served his country and took great pride in his status as a veteran. He continued his military affiliation with membership in Post 0033 of the American Legion. Ed treasured the friends he made in the army more than the bases he was stationed at, very happy to return to his beloved New England and to resume making his own travel plans, rather than having them arranged by the US Army.

Ed was a teacher and principal in the Lincoln and Cranston school systems for 32 years and served as the director of the Lincoln Adult School. Ed also taught at the Department of Defense Dependent Schools in Germany and traveled extensively during that timeframe. This prepared Ed for eventually meeting Doris who had been likewise bit by the travel bug.

Ed and Doris embarked on a multitude of domestic and international trips, sometimes with the entire family and other times, just with Doris. There was hardly a domestic tourist spot unvisited by the Slattery family, their station wagon, and their tent trailer. And there were just about as many memorable roadside adventures as said station wagon broke down and the family practiced patience. 

Ed and Doris’ travels took them to Canada, Central America, South America, all of Europe, Russia, China, Japan, Australia , New Zealand, and Egypt, just to name a few destinations. They cruised to Alaska, through the Panama Canal and Mexican Riviera, through rivers in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Greece. Two regular domestic vacation spots included summertime camping in Narragansett at Fisherman’s Memorial State Park and year-round trips to the Attleboro Ski Club Lodge in Twin Mountain, NH for skiing, hiking, splashing in the Kancamagus River or just decompressing.

Ed and Doris collected friends as souvenirs from their trips and travels and were known to coordinate follow-up vacation plans with their new-found friends. You weren’t a stranger for very long once you made their acquaintance. 

Ed’s strong sense of family and civic duty can be attributed to his Catholic faith. He was very involved with St. Jude’s Church in Lincoln as well as the Knights of Columbus. He loved his PC Friars and faithfully attended basketball games courtside for many years. Ed further gave back to his community through his involvement in local and state politics, frequently assisting others with their campaigns if he was not running for office himself. Ed was elected to the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention in 1976, he was a board member for both the RI Retired Teachers Association and the Greater Providence Retired Teachers Association and also acted as the legislative chairman or President-elect at different times.  Ed worked tirelessly on Operation Classroom to build the new Lincoln Middle School and was a Commissioner for the Lincoln Housing Authority until well into his 80’s. In short, Ed had a full plate. And he also had a colorful way of expressing that his plate was full to his immediate family; his humor is certainly a great part of his legacy.

After a lifetime of taking care of his own family, his elderly father and brother, Ed allowed his family to return the favor and care for him at home. Ed’s philosophy was to live life “without any should’ve’s, could’ve’s or would’ve’s” and this lengthy account demonstrates just how successful he was at that.

We will miss the great husband, father, son, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend that is Ed Slattery. We are blessed with too many memories and stories to count and find great peace in knowing that he is living his best life in eternal peace with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who no doubt greeted him with, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” To God be the glory for allowing us to have Ed with us for a very rich and fruitful 91 years. May you all be so blessed as we are to celebrate 91 years of Ed.

Relatives and friends are invited to call upon the family at Bellows Funeral Chapel, 160 River Road, Lincoln on Monday, August 22, 2022 from 4-7pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at 10 am at St. Jude’s Church, 301 Front St., Lincoln. Burial with military honors will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Cumberland.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Hope Health Hospice and Palliative Care 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904 www.hopehealthco.org/ways-to-give/donatenow/donate-to-hopehealth-hospice-palliative-care/ or to Development Office, Little Sisters of the Poor, Jeanne Jugan Residence, 964 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860 www.littlesistersofthepoor.org/donate

PLEASE NOTE: The funeral service will be livestreamed.  Livestreaming of services occurs in real-time and may be subject to certain limitations of the available network at the time of the event. Should there be a disruption in real-time streaming, a video copy of the service will be uploaded after the conclusion of the event.

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