Mr. Sleeper, the youngest of three siblings the late Merritt Sleeper Jr., Phillis Sleeper Heinrich Jones and Julia Sleeper Burns, was born in 1937 to Francis and Merritt Sleeper on Vermont Hill Rd, in South Wales, NY.
Alburn spent his formative years at home on Olden Rd in West Falls where he loved exploring the woods, hunting and playing his guitar to old country western records. Alburn met Glenda, his lifelong love, when she was the “new girl” at East Aurora High School after she and her family moved from Kenmore NY. Al intended to follow his father’s footsteps by being a heavy equipment operator but was convinced to attend college by his schoolteachers.
Al and Glenda were accepted and attended Buffalo State College, during which they were married in 1958, starting a lifetime of adventure which took them from an apartment in Kenmore to their first home on Persons Street in East Aurora to Warner Robins, Georgia and back to East Aurora where they spent the last 50 years rearing children, living and loving life.
Mr. Sleeper was a man of many hobbies and professional interests. He pursued all his interests with intensity and passion. He was a Deacon and Elder in the Presbyterian Church, sang with the Shrine Chanters, was a Mason and was one of the original members, president, long time board member as well as a Master Craftsman with the Roycrofters At Large Association (RALA).
As a young man, Mr. Sleeper joined the United States Air National Guard and progressed through the military ranks until he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Colonel Sleeper was active during part of the Korean war and during the Vietnam war. Meanwhile, Mr. Sleeper earned a Bachelor and Master’s degrees in education. As a schoolteacher of Industrial Arts AKA Technology, Mr. Sleeper absolutely loved educating with the middle school aged children that he worked with at both Hoover and Benjamin Franklin Junior high schools in Kenmore NY.
Adventure and Family time was important to Al. Weekends and Summer Holidays were often spent relaxing at the family cottage on Rushford lake where he spent time fishing and boating. Summer vacation was often set aside for longer camping trips. Al and his family were able to explore almost all of the contiguous forty-eight states and parts of Canada and Mexico while creating treasured memories together. In their later years, Al and Glenda spent winters cruising the rivers and oceans around the world or in Florida “camping” in their ginormous fifth-wheel camper.
Music brought relaxation and peace to Al’s busy world. Growing up, he would spend hours playing his guitar and singing with the records of Hank Snow and Hank Williams. That love of music lead to Al’s exploration of other stringed instruments, enjoying the guitar, mandolin and the 5-string banjo over the years. Al’s music was an integral part of family gatherings, camp fires, as well as church and informal get-togethers. Children of all ages were attracted to Mr. Sleeper who would pick the guitar, sing songs, tell stories and bring smiles. He eventually joined a blue grass band and could be heard playing “gigs” at churches and retirement homes throughout Western New York. Al and Glenda shared the love of music throughout their life together where they sang in the South Wales and East Aurora Presbyterian Church choirs and participated in the Aurora Players and Master Chorale of WNY for many years.
Always busy, Alburn’s lifelong passion was designing and creating copper, silver and gold jewelry. Finding Alburn was easy, all anybody had to do was follow the sounds of a chasing hammer and tool down the basement stairs into the workshop. When Alburn was eighteen years old, he asked Walter Jennings, an original Roycroft metalsmith, to teach him the art. Mr. Jennings gave Al a hammer, told him to make his own tools, taught him some of the classic Roycroft flowers and designs and the rest is beautiful history. Mr. Sleeper, “The Aurora Silversmith” was a teacher of metal work technique, a diplomate for the arts and a guardian of the Roycroft Arts and it’s history. Al created his art for over sixty-five years, bringing smiles to faces all around the world.
Mr. Sleeper was predeceased by his mother, father and three siblings and is survived by his loving wife, Glenda and children; Mark (Debbie) Sleeper and Robert (Sally) Sleeper, Grand Children; Cynthia (Brian) Loveland, Nichole (Charles) Fischer, Alexa (Alex Wylie) Sleeper, Jon (Emily Morrison) Sleeper and three Great Grand Children
A celebration of Al’s life will be held at the Wood’s Funeral Home in East Aurora, NY Friday June 11 from 4:00PM until 7:00PM. A memorial service will be Saturday June 12 at 10:00AM at Wood’s Funeral Home followed by internment at Griffins Mills Cemetery in Griffins Mills NY. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a fund started to help alleviate expenses for Robert Sleeper’s liver transplant. https://gofund.me/4db5d90f
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