It is great sadness that the family shares that Evelyn McClelland Sloat passed away at her home on the afternoon of January 22, 2026, surrounded by care and the love of family, friends, and supportive caregivers.
Mrs. Sloat, a native of southwest Virginia, was born on February 27, 1924, and raised in Gate City where she enjoyed a great childhood, developing life-long friendships. She was the daughter of Rufus M. McClelland and Louisa Jennings McClelland. She matriculated from Gate City High School and attended Lincoln Memorial University. She then returned to Gate City and began work at Eastman where she had a "water cooler romance" with her late husband, Kenneth Sloat. Mrs. Sloat followed her then beau to Oak Ridge where she became a "woman of Atomic City," working in one of the labs at the bomb development facility. She liked to tell stories of her time in Oak Ridge, including the sharing of a home with six women and the challenges which came with that. After her time in Oak Ridge, Mrs. Sloat returned to Kingsport, working for the Kingsport Times-News. She then married Kenneth, after a long courtship, at the Gate City United Methodist Church in April 1951. She and her husband later moved to his hometown of Blountville where they built a life and where she remained until her death. Mrs. Sloat was the proud mother of two daughters Helen Sloat (Atlanta, GA) and Mary-Jean Shannon (Cary, NC) and stayed at home with them until they were school-aged when she returned to the workforce, working for many years with the Sullivan County Board of Education. Charity and giving to the community were central and important to her, and she served in a number of roles over the years including involvement with the Blountville Presbyterian Church, Holston Presbytery Women, Blountville PTA, being a "band parent," the Sullivan County Historical and Genealogical Society, Tennessee's Grand Chapter of the Eastern Star, and many other entities. Mrs. Sloat loved playing bridge and played in one club for more than 60 years, developing very close friendships with that group of women (some of whom survive her). She never met a stranger and could "work a room" like no other, often to the embarrassment of her family! She loved the University of Tennessee football and attended many games over the years and continued to root on her team in the more recent years from her family room. She also enjoyed traveling with her family - especially visiting the Outer Banks. Political campaigns and happenings were a passion for her, and she helped with elections in Sullivan County over the years serving as a volunteer poll worker. She also campaigned for many individuals over time. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Sloat is predeceased by her parents, sister Helen McClelland Stallard (James C. Stallard), brother Herbert J. McClelland, Sr. (Clara Houser McClelland), and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is survived by her daughters Helen Sloat and Mary-Jean Shannon (son-in-law Bruce Shannon), grandchildren Taylor Shannon (Salt Lake City, UT) and Grace Shannon (Nashville, TN), niece Ann Stallard (Atlanta, GA) and nephews Richard Stallard (Mt. Vernon, OH), Dennis McClelland (Fort Pierce, FL), and Herbert J. McClelland, Jr. (Bristol, VA). Other nephews and nieces surviving include Thomas Elsea (Birmingham, AL), Don Barnes (Fairhope, AL), Judy B. Hagan (Knoxville, TN) and Jennifer Morton McBride (Morgantown, WV).
A family led memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 2:00 pm at Blountville Presbyterian Church.
The family requests in lieu of flowers that contributions be made to the Rufus M. McClelland Scholarship Fund at Emory & Henry University (Giving • Emory & Henry (https://www.emoryhenry.edu/giving/)) or the Blountville Presbyterian Church (3400 Hwy. 126, Blountville, TN 37617).
East Lawn Funeral Home has been honored to serve the Sloat family.
