Mrs. Tommie B. Slack

Indeed, a good and perfect gift to all who encountered her, Tommie Louise Black Slack was thoughtfully wrapped in this earthly body September 17, 1926, and born to the union of Gillie and Julia Black in Water Valley, Mississippi. She was the youngest of four children, two who preceded her in death and another with whom she was privileged to grow up and of whom she was extremely fond of--her brother Claude. Recognizing at an early age that she had indeed come down from the Father, Tommie accepted His Son Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. As a young woman, Tommie found a permanent church home at Mother Liberty CME Church, where throughout the years she committed her life to faith and service as a Sunday School Teacher, a Member of the Ruth Circle Missionary Society, a Choir Member, a Member of the Stewardess Board 3, and Chairperson of the Benevolence Committee. Faithfully and diligently developing her gifts, Tommie graduated from Allen-White High School, Whiteville, Tennessee, and went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in Home Economics from Lane College, Jackson, Tennessee. Pursuing graduate-level education, Tommie received her Master of Arts degree in Special Education from Memphis State University, Memphis, Tennessee, making her the first specifically degreed special education teacher in Madison County. Later, she received her Specialist in Education from Peabody University in Nashville, Tennessee. Ready to share her gifts, Tommie developed a sound work ethic early in life, working at “The Tea Room Café” alongside her Uncle Buddy in Bolivar, Tennessee, when she was 10 years old until she graduated from high school. While in college, to help afford her education, she was a live-in babysitter for the Rosenbloom’s. During the summer months, she spent time with family and friends in Chicago, where she worked at a movie theater. To those who had witnessed her as a child teaching her dolls and bears, it was no surprise that she invested in the lives of students at Bolivar Industrial Junior High School, Bolivar, Tennessee, and in the Jackson-Madison School District, Jackson, Tennessee, 42 years of deep values, sound morals and upstanding character. As a woman of faith prone to service, she achieved many prestigious levels of honor, including Golden Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., which was given after 50 years of service and sisterhood, a Fifty-Year Diploma on April 27, 2003; Key to the City of Jackson, and a letter acknowledging her 90th birthday by the 44th President of the United States of America---Barack Obama. She was also a member of Phi Delta Kappa Sorority. Committed to instilling in her own family the same Christian principles and beliefs which were the driving force of her life, Tommie was virtue, faithfulness and love to her husband, Walter Earl Slack; love and care to her children, Maria, Walter Jr. and Tamieka; a treasure trove of wisdom and love to her grandchildren Almeta, Ashley, Amber, Pierre, and Jet; and an awesome witness to God’s grace, faithfulness and love to her great granddaughter Aubrey. Tommie was preceded in death by parents Gilly and Julia Black; brother Claude Black; brothers-In-law Jerome Slack and R.V. Slack; sisters-In-law Eleanor Slack and Mary Slack; and grandchild Jazz Grafft. Having beheld the heavenly lights early Wednesday, August 9, 2017, Tommie returned to her heavenly home. Her memory is survived by husband Walter Earl Slack; children Maria Yvonne Slack-Ellis, Walter Earl Slack, Jr. (Marion), and Tameika Georgia Slack Grafft (Clay); grandchildren Almeta Maria Ellis, Ashley Renee’ Ellis, Amber Nicole Ellis, Pierre Andre Slack, and Jett Lee Grafft; great granddaughter Aubrey Elise Owens; as well as many cherished nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins, a special life-long friend Mrs. Neola Sardon and a host of other loving family and friends.

Mrs. Tommie B. Slack

September 17, 1926 - August 9, 2017