Virginia Helen Slater

Virginia Helen Cowan Slater was born July 21, “1932” in Leith North Dakota on her grand -parent’s farm. She was the second of ten girls born to her parents Willard B. Cowan and Blanche M. Kennelly Cowan. She was a loving older sister who helped her sisters through the many hardships of being born during the depression and having a mother who had many illnesses and was hospitalized often.

Virginia graduated from Annunciation High School in Denver in 1950. Virginia married the love of her life, Samual James Slater on August 4th “1950”. They were both 18 years old. Sam worked for Western Union by delivering telegrams on his bicycle to his customers in downtown Denver. After the wedding they rode off into their new life with Virginia perched on the handlebars while holding her small suitcase.

They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary before Sam passed away at the age of 88 on December 20, 2020. They had many years to share their love with each other, their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and all those who adopted them as parent’s, grandparents and best friends.

They had four children to give their love to, Kathleen (Kathy), James (Jim), Elizabeth (Beth), and Helen. They lived in Englewood Colorado for 41 years. Virginia used her incredible baking skills to let her family know how much she loved them. Freshly baked cookies everyday after school greeted her children. Fresh chocolate cake in Sam’s lunch box. doughnuts, cinnamon rolls and bread often. Virginia worked in the cafeteria at school to be close to her youngest daughters. She also involved all her children in 4-H. She also made outfits with all the sequins (sewn each one by hand) for all three of her girls to wear for baton twirling amongst so many other things! She involved us in so many activities.

Virginia went back to school after all the children left home, at Arapahoe junior college, to learn accounting and bookkeeping. She loved her bookkeeping job at Vela-bind Company where she worked for many years and then retired with her husband.

Virginia and Sam enjoyed traveling to visit their children and grandchildren in New Mexico, Oklahoma and California. They were both members of All Souls Catholic Church for 60 years and gave service to the Church in many ways during their time.

Virginia’s last 3 ½ years were spent at her cherished home (Cherry Hill’s Assisted Living) in Centennial. She was very happy there being a social butterfly and Ambassador.

Virginia passed on May 6, “2025” while at Adventist Health hospital. She passed peacefully in her sleep. She was preceded in death by her son James S. Slater, her daughter Helen E. Borden and grandson Jeremy A Ruth. She is survived by her daughters Kathleen V. Ruth-Tepper and Elizabeth M Brusachetti, grandsons’ Aaron S. Ruth, James Slater, Gabriel Slater, and granddaughters Jennifer Anderegg, Amy Ross, Emily Borden, and great grandchildren Colby Ruth, Hailey Rose Ruth, Oren Anderegg, Jett Slater, Gavin Slater, Kai Slater, and Ivy Slater. She also has three surviving sisters, Phylis Cowan, Doris Cowan and Shirley Hansen.