Dean Slavens Obituary, Dean Slavens Has Passed Away – Death Cause

Dean Slavens Obituary, Death – Dean A. Slavens, age 82, of Columbia City, Indiana, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at his home, where he had been lived in peace for some time. His passing came as a complete surprise. On July 29, 1940, he was born in the city of Lafayette to his parents, Roy and Hazel (Thomas) Slavens. He was the son of Roy and Hazel. After graduating from Delphi High School and Manchester College, he continued his education at Manchester College and earned a bachelor’s degree there. He advanced his education by receiving a Master’s Degree from Northern Illinois University and finishing his postgraduate studies at Ball State University.

He then went on to pursue further education. Janice K. Rider was his high school love, and on May 27, 1960, in Wabash, Indiana, the two of them tied the knot and began their lives together as husband and wife. More than forty years of Dean’s professional life were spent in the field of education. In addition to spending 52 years at North Side High School as an advanced biology teacher before taking early retirement, he spent the entirety of that time there as the school’s coach for both track and cross country. When he wasn’t running on the track or the cross country course, he attended Emmanuel Community Church and was a member of the Indiana Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches.

Emmanuel Community Church is located in Indiana. Dean is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Tammy Runyan-Glover and William Glover; daughter and son-in-law, Sonya and Brian Emerick; granddaughter, Tia Runyan; grandsons, Brent (Liza) Emerick, Bradley (Ashley) Emerick and Eric Emerick; great-grandchildren, Elliana, Britain, Lachlan, Wells, Evelyn and expecting one more this summer; several nieces and nephews; and an extension of many track and cross country athletic family members. Janice Slavens, the loving wife of Dean Slavens for the past 56 years, passed away on January 9, 2017, joining her husband’s parents and a brother, Ronald Slavens, in the hereafter. All of these other persons came before Dean in death before he did.