LaWanda Mae Sloan

LaWanda Mae (Patterson) Balskus Sloan, age 94, of Jacksonville, FL (formerly of Georgetown/Westville, IL) passed away on December 30, 2024 in Jacksonville. Her family is happy to share that she passed peacefully into the hands of her Lord Jesus.

LaWanda was born in Danville, IL on November 9th, 1930, the daughter of Opha Mae & Glen “Pat” Patterson of Georgetown. She graduated from Georgetown High School in 1948 and stayed close to many of her classmates for life. During high school, she worked as a waitress at a cafe in Georgetown where she met Joe Balskus while he was home being treated from wounds received during the Utah Beach Landings in World War II. They had four children, Nancy Jo, Mary Elizabeth, Joseph Gregory, and Judy Ann. LaWanda’s husband, Joe, passed away in 1964 and she started working at Sears in Danville followed by many years at the First National Bank in Westville where she met Gene (Punia) Sloan, the local mailman. They married in 1967 and had a baby boy, Eric, in 1969. Punia passed away in 1983 and in 1989 LaWanda moved to Jacksonville, Florida to be near family. She continued working at Nurses PRN of Jacksonville, retiring in 2005.

LaWanda’s faith in Jesus was of utmost importance in her life. After leaving Illinois where she attended Trinity United Church of Christ in Westville, she became a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville and later, Deermeadows Baptist Church, closer to her home.

LaWanda loved her Jesus, her church, and her family with a passion that inspired the generations that followed her and all of those around her. Her beautiful smile and loving spirit brightened so many lives! She loved Christmas, the ocean, garage sales, classic movies, reading, puzzles, celebrating birthdays, playing cards with treasured Sunday School friends, and most of all, spending time with her eleven grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

LaWanda is survived by her brother, Steve Patterson, and nephew, Todd Patterson, sister-in-law, Jeanine Patterson, and niece, Tammi (Brent) O’Neill and nephew Brian (Donna) Patterson, her daughter Nancy (Bob) Brown, daughter Mary (Mike) Snider, son Joseph Greg (Lisa) Balskus, daughter Judy Balskus Adams, and son Eric (Amanda) Sloan. She is also survived by grandchildren Mindy (Walt) Harper, Josh (Holly) Brown, Justin (Miriam) Snider, Lindsey (Adam) Lanter, Ben (Heather) Snider, Brandon (Logan) Balskus, Brittany (Dave) Hemphill, Courtney (Mike) Raezler, Glorianne (Ryan) Boyd, Jonathan (Katelyn) Adams, Gabriella (Alex) Lumpkin. She is further survived by adoring great-grandchildren Nolan, Bailey, Simon, Elliot, Adrienne, Sam, Katie, Hollis, Briar, Jackson, twins; Garrett and Brooks, Cooper, Jefferson, Ellie, triplets; Austin, Caden, and Dawson, Asher, Cohen, Braylon, Lilly, and Elijah.

A visitation for Lawanda will be held Friday, January 3, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Deermeadows Church, 9780 Baymeadows Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32256, followed by a memorial service at 2:00 PM. Please join the family for refreshments following the service.