Herbert Herman Slaughter Jr.

Herbert H. Slaughter, Jr., 100 years old, passed away peacefully on March 19, 2024. He was born on February 9, 1924 in Washington, D.C. to the late Herbert H. and Melissa Slaughter who raised him alongside his late brother, Ralph Slaughter.

Herb devoted his entire career to make America’s skyways safer. After graduation from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1945, he had brief employments with Douglas Aircraft and Capital Airlines before he became a flight test engineer for the Federal Aviation Administration. During his 27 years with the FAA, he helped develop safety regulations and civil certification policy for all types of aircraft, including helicopters and jumbo jets. He left the FAA in 1975, as the chief of all engineering services related to the safety and production of civil aircraft.

During 1973, Herb served as a U.S. representative at the International Civil Aviation Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations focused on air travel. There, he advocated for the adoption of U.S. air safety regulations as the international standard.

Herb joined Sikorski Aircraft as manager of product integrity in 1976, where he was responsible for civil safety certification and quality procedures related to Sikorski’s aircraft and helicopter production.

In 1981, Herb was awarded the prestigious Franklin W. Kolk Air Transportation Progress Award for his outstanding contributions to the field of air transportation and safety.

Herb enjoyed playing golf and was an avid fan of the Washington Redskins and the Texas Rangers.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 79 ½ years, Norma Jean Slaughter; his son, Mark E. Slaughter and daughter-in-law, Jenny Wong Slaughter; his grandchildren, Sean Slaughter, Alana Slaughter and her husband, Tyler Rosá, Matthew McDuffie, Lee Malone and her husband, Scott Malone; his great-grandchildren, Parker Malone, Presley Malone and Vivian Rosá; his sister-in-law, Beverly Ames; and a nephew, Steve Slaughter and his wife, Debbie Slaughter. His much loved daughter Lynn Slaughter McDuffie, predeceased him.

Herb will be privately laid to rest. A celebration of his life will be held Friday, March 29, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. at the Westin Residences, 4545 Commerce Street, Virginia Beach, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice trying to find a cure for cancer.