Blanche Sloan

Blanche Carlton Sloan, age 92 of Hinckley, formerly of Carbondale, passed away on Thursday, June 30, 2016 at 7:40 am at home surrounded by her family. She had been a resident of Carbondale since 1968. She married Fred A. Sloan, II and he preceded her on June 3, 2008. Together they shared 60 years of marriage. One son was born to this union, Fred A. Sloan, III. He preceded his mother on May 16, 2016. She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Gina Carvajal Sloan of Hinckley, three granddaughters, Catherine Carlton Sloan, Serena Carvajal and Nina Carvajal; and four great-grandchildren. Blanche was born in New Albany, Mississippi on January 22, 1924. She was the youngest of the three children of Landon Kimbrough and Esther (Hall) Carlton. She grew up in New Albany. Her siblings were Caleb Sidney Carlton and Esther Catherine Carlton Wiginton, both of whom predeceased her. She is also survived by cousins, nieces, and nephews of younger family generations of whom she was justly proud. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in painting from Huntingdon College, Montgomery, Alabama; Master of Arts in Art History from the University of Oklahoma; and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. At Huntingdon she was later recognized by the alumni association for Exceptional Loyalty in 1993 and for Outstanding Alumni Achievement in 1995. She was Class Poet of the Class of 1945 and editor of The Huntress, college newspaper. Her first employment was a writer and readability analyst with the Research Interpretation Council at Auburn University, where she met her future husband. Upon completion of her doctorate, Dr. Sloan began a successful 17-year career as John A. Logan College’s first Director of Development and Executive Director of the John A. Logan College Foundation. She has often been honored by her national professional organizations. A charter member of the Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast in 1988, subsequently she served at successively higher levels of Rotary International. She was the first women Rotarian to serve on the 7-member Osaka International Convention Committee; further, she was the only Westerner on the Committee, the others being from Japan (2), Korea, Nigeria, Taiwan and the Philippines. Memberships and activities include St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, of which she had served on the Vestry and on the Stewardship Committee for several years; Daughters of the King; Southern Illinois Chamber Music Society Board; K.L. Chapter of P.E.O.; the Jackson County Stage Company; member of the Board of Directors and former corporate secretary of the Varsity Center for the Arts. She and her husband had been founding co-chairs of the Patrons of the University Museum. In 2006, she received an Illinois Humanities Council Studs Terkel Humanitarian Service Award. One of her favorite honors was to be recognized as an Inspiring Woman of Achievement in Southern Illinois as one of the second year’s recipients. Memorials can be made to American Cancer Society; SIU Foundation for either the University Museum or the Southern Illinois Chamber Music Society in care of the School of Music; or to the Permanent Fund of the Rotary Foundation, c/o Rotary Club of Carbondale-Breakfast. A Memorial Service for Blanche Sloan will be Saturday, July 16, 2016 at 2:00pm at John C. Guyon Auditorium, Southern Illinois University, Morris Library, hosted by her family. A reception will follow. Cremations rites were accorded. At a later date an inurnment with be at the Hall-Houston plot in New Albany Cemetery, New Albany, Mississippi. Crain Pleasant Grove-Murdale Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Blanche Sloan

January 22, 1924 - June 30, 2016