Obituary of Donald Duane Slater

Donald Duane Slater, age 73, of Kalamazoo Michigan made his transition on April 8, 2021, of natural causes. He was born in Kalamazoo on May 21, 1947, to Helen and Ray Slater. Don graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School. Don had many careers, among them nursing, photography, and bar tending and ended his working career at Marriott Corporation in Chicago after suffering a heart attack. Don met Tom Coughlin in 1969 in Chicago, where they lived for many years before moving to Kalamazoo to be with family. Don was married to his long-time partner Tom by Reverend Joslyn Mason of Unity Church in Kalamazoo on July 18, 2015. Their marriage was one of the first gay marriages in Michigan to be made legal by the Supreme Court. Don loved to fish, camp and enjoying the outdoors. He and Tom took their camper to many locations in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Indiana. In later years Don suffered from eye failure and diabetes. But he was always smiling and enjoyed shopping at Harding’s and of course, watching TV. He was preceded in death by his mother Helen Slater and father Ray Slater, Grandma and Grandpa Waldo, brothers Ray Junior, Boyd, Frank, and sisters Carole and Gayle. He is survived by Tom and numerous nephews and nieces. A Celebration of Life service will take place in the rear parking lot of Unity of Kalamazoo Church, 1204 Whites Road, Kalamazoo 49008 on May 18, 2021 at 10:30 AM. Please bring lawn chairs, or you may sit in your car. Face masks and social distancing required. Private Interment will take place at Fort Custer National Cemetery.