Joyce Slagle

Joyce Evelyn Wisdom Slagle

Joyce Evelyn Wisdom Slagle, a resident of College Walk Retirement Center in Brevard, was born on June 17, 1918 in Muskogee Oklahoma to George Marion and Bessie Evelyn Maloney Wisdom. An infant brother, George, sister Joan and her beloved husband, Don Slagle, preceded her in death.

Joyce moved to Tulsa Oklahoma in 1952 when her husband was recruited to serve as football coach at Tulsa Central High School - then the biggest high school west of the Mississippi - where he later served as principal. Joyce taught English and French at Celia Clinton and Nathan Hale High School until her retirement in 1980. She spent the next 20 years in Tulsa actively involved in various service groups for Trinity Episcopal Church where she made some of the dearest friendships of her life.

In 2000, she moved to College Walk in Brevard and for several years enjoyed attending performances of the Asheville Symphony, Brevard Music Camp and Brevard College. At College Walk she volunteered in the Library, performed in several readers' theater presentations and enjoyed study series on ballet, opera and the Hubbell telescope.

Even when her health began to fail her, she maintained her interest in and knowledge of classical music, geography, history, art, literature, mythology, religion and science and was known for her intelligence and breadth of knowledge. Two examples: When playing a game of trivial pursuit with her children and grandchildren during a summer vacation, it quickly became apparent to the family- if not to Joyce - that she could compete by herself against everyone else and still win! When she traveled in Europe and Greece, fellow passengers on the tours soon recognized that Joyce knew more than the guide about the sites they were viewing, and would often ask her to tell stories about Important events or supply facts about the places she visited.

Early in the morning of January 20, with her daughter Anne at her side, Joyce found the peace and acceptance she sought throughout her life, laying to rest the inner demons that sometimes plagued her. She was a person of principle, and a mother who taught her children to value goodness, high character, modesty and generosity of spirit and to love reading, music, dance and art. She is survived by her children, Anne and Ron Brewer of Pisgah Forrest, NC and Barbara Slagle and Al Kiedaisch of Tulsa, Oklahoma; grandchildren, Don and Prentiss Brewer of Pisgah Forest, NC, and Dave and Tammy Brewer of Huntersville, North Carolina; sister Jean Parker of Muskogee, Oklahoma; brothers and sisters-in-law, Bayne and Cam Slagle of Frederick, Texas, Dr. Gene and Ann Slagle of Shreveport, Louisiana, Vede Bell Nowlin of Colcord, Oklahoma, and Dr. Bill and Shannon Slagle of Seminole Oklahoma; great-grandchildren Zach, Emma and Addy Brewer of Huntersville, NC and Elizabeth and Jack Brewer of Pisgah Forest. NC and many dear nieces and nephews. Services will be held in Oklahoma at a later date, with internment in Green Hill Cemetery in Muskogee Oklahoma. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a charity of one's choice.