Heyward Fulmer Slice

CHAPIN – A memorial service for Heyward F. Slice, 83, will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, April 22, 2018, at St. Thomas Lutheran Church. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Saturday, April 21, 2018, at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Thomas Lutheran Church, 215 St Thomas Church Road, Chapin, SC 29036, and the Chapin Eagle Club (Scoreboard fund), P.O. Box 113, Chapin, SC 29036.

Mr. Slice was born December 23, 1934, in Chapin, SC, and passed away on Thursday, April 12, 2018. He was the son of the late Bailey Slice and Louise Summer Slice. He was a member of St. Thomas Lutheran Church where he was a council member and a member of the church choir for many years. His faith was very important to him, and he always had a relationship with the Lord.

Heyward grew up as a Dutch Fork farm boy who loved sports, the outdoors, and animals. Heyward graduated from Chapin High School where he played football, basketball, and baseball, and he was Student Body President. He also played baseball for Chapin in the Dutch Fork League. He graduated from Newberry College (according to him they will ALWAYS be Indians), and then entered the US Army serving in Korea. When he returned from Korea, he worked for the SC Tax Commision, and then later he began working as a teacher and coached multiple sports at Wagner High School. He then went to work at Irmo High School where he would stay for the next three decades. At Irmo High School “Coach” Slice taught science (biology, physical science, etc…) and coached many sports at Irmo. He was an assistant football coach and head coach in baseball and boy’s golf, where his golfers won Irmo High School’s very first state championship in ANY sport. As Irmo’s head girl’s basketball coach, he and his teams won many region championships and were state runners-up twice. He eventully stopped coaching and recieved his Masters degree from Western Carolina in guidance, so he finished his career at Irmo as a guidance counselor and scheduled all classes at Irmo, then one of the largest high schools in the state of SC.

What he loved the most about his job at Irmo was his students and players, especially his girl’s basketball players, some of whom have even visited him in the last few weeks of his life. He loved to tell stories about his time as a coach, and we all loved to hear stories about him as a coach. Heyward retired in December 1992. After retiring he spent his time helping develop Generations Senior Care.

Heyward was also an avid Gamecock fan. He was a Gamecock Club member for the past 54 years. He absolutely loved attending as many football, baseball, and basketball (men’s and women’s) games as he could. In the past 10 years he has especially enjoyed 2 baseball national championships and watching Dawn Staley build the women’s program up to a national championship. When he wasn’t at some sort of Gamecock game, he was watching his grandchildren play every sport imaginable from football and baseball to track and soccer. The ONLY thing that kept him from his sports was choir practice at St. Thomas Lutheran Church. He continued to sing in the choir until recently due to his declining health.

And finally Heyward was truly a lover of animals. He’s had numerous dogs and cats over the years, and at his home in Chapin he has had chickens, goats, rabbits, pigs, and even a cow. He was always a farm boy at heart. His gruff demeanor but tender heart will be missed by all.

Survivors are daughter, Beth Bedenbaugh (Todd); son, Tim Slice (Molly); grandchildren, Emory Bedenbaugh, Mary “Mary-Mac” McGregor Slice, Harrison Bedenbaugh, Salley Slice, Adam Bedenbaugh; brothers, Jimmy Slice (Mary Jo), George Slice (Patsy), Stanley Slice (Lucy); sister, Margaret Epting (Joe); sisters-in-law, Marie Stoudemire (Albert), Geri Gambill, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Louetta Slice; his sister, Mary Ruth Slice Haile (Bobby); brother and sister-in-law, Rev. Paul O. and Karilyn Slice; sister-in-law, Edna Gilliam (Joe); and nephew Ronnie Epting. A special thank you to the caregivers of Generations of Chapin, Care By Generations, and Comfort Care Hospice.