Elaine Cimperman Slater

Elaine Cimperman Slater entered peacefully into eternal life on September 23, 2016, after battling Alzheimer's and pneumonia. Because of her faith in Jesus as her Lord, we know she is with Him. Born May 2, 1930 in Cleveland, Ohio, Elaine Claire moved shortly thereafter to a house on her grandfather's land, living there until age six. She had many happy memories of this fairly self-sustaining farm's gardens and beehives. Her parents restored and resold rental homes; as a result, Elaine moved a great deal but stayed in the same parish: Annunciation Church, which had been established on her grandfather's property. At age 10, Elaine moved to a different parish, to the home that her children would eventually remember as "Grandma & Grandpa Cimperman's." Elaine remained an excellent student: she was a skilled wordsmith from a very young age, skipped 2nd grade, and upon graduation from high school in 1947 at age 17, immediately earned a position over several college graduates as a writer of commercials and other copy for WHK Radio in Cleveland. During her five years at WHK, she attended Cleveland College of Western Reserve University in the evenings, and modeled for local clothing stores' runway shows and print ads. She received four full-tuition out-of-town college scholarship offers, but her father wasn't comfortable with his daughter leaving home at her young age, so she remained in Cleveland while saving money for future travels. In 1952, she left WHK to become an executive secretary for Diamond Alkali, and in 1954, she rewarded herself with a cruise on the Queen Mary. Having always dreamed of seeing California, she moved there in June 1955 to work as an executive secretary for Superior Oil, and she met Stan the day she arrived. They were married for 55 1/2 years. Throughout her life, Elaine was an often-published author, starting when she was just a teenager with a poem published in Seventeen. She wrote about her beloved ancestral home of Slovenia for Travel magazine, compiled a serious research piece for Parade, published many children's stories and humor pieces, wrote many additional works describing her travels in the USA and abroad, and collaborated with Stan, who provided photography. But despite her impressive résumé as a writer, Elaine's greatest treasure was her family. She and Stan raised three children, loved their seven grandchildren, and provided a welcoming home for family and friends until Stan passed away in 2011. Elaine and Stan were members of St. Rita Catholic Church since its founding in 1961; their love for Jesus and family, expressed through their warm household, generous spirit, and endless hospitality, will be their legacy. Elaine was predeceased by her parents, Anthony John Cimperman and Edith Marie Kosic Cimperman; by her sister, Joan Cimperman Thompson; and by her beloved husband, Stanley John Slater of Dearborn, MI. She is survived by her children and grandchildren: Jim Slater, wife Debbie, children Maddie and Mitchell; David Slater, wife Diana, children Dasha and Polina; and Carrie Slater Stewart, husband Randel, children Will, Evan, and Catherine. Visitation will be held on October 2 from 2PM-5PM at Calvary Hill Funeral Home, with prayer and shared memories at 4PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Rita Catholic Community on October 3 at 11AM, followed by a brief graveside at Calvary Hill Cemetery.