Deacon R.C. Sledge

October 8, 1930 - December 8, 2021

Deacon R C Sledge, our dearly beloved father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather went home peacefully to be with the Lord on December 8, 2021 at the age of 91 years. He was the third child of nine children born to Deacon R B Sledge and Daisy Kelly Sledge on October 8, 1930 in Philadelphia, Mississippi. He joined Mount Talley Missionary Baptist Church at a young age in Philadelphia, MS. He met the love his life, his beloved wife, Nancy P. Eichelberger Sledge, they were married on December 12, 1949 and to their union seven children were born. He relocated to Saginaw, Michigan in 1953 and became a dedicated and active member of Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. He served on the Deacon Board, as a Trustee, Sunday School Teacher, Superintendent of Sunday School for over 50 years, on the Finance Committee, as president of the Laymen and Junior Laymen until his health prevented it. Previously, he served as an Usher and was a member of the Male Chorus. Deacon Sledge was a delegate and teacher for the National Baptist Congress and Convention, the Wolverine State Convention and the Saginaw Valley Baptist District Association. Deacon Sledge was awarded “The Key to the City” of Saginaw by former Mayor Wilmer Ham McZee. Deacon Sledge was also involved in several other community activities in the City of Saginaw. He retired from General Motors Grey Iron Foundry, after many years of loyal service. Deacon Sledge LOVED talking about the goodness of the Lord, his WIFE, children, family and neighbors, and especially reading his Bible daily, enjoyed gardening and working in his yard and fishing. Deacon Sledge leaves to cherish his memory seven children; Rebecca Beeman, Shirley Thompson, Samuel (Jennifer) Sledge, all of Saginaw, MI, Emanuel (Jill) Sledge of Flint, MI, R L Sledge of Grand Rapids, MI, Bonnie (Louis) Wright and Sandra Faye (John) Parks both of Atlanta, GA; 19 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; two brothers, Deacon Chester Sledge and Charles (Frances) Sledge both of Saginaw, MI; three sisters, Edna Walker and Naomi Frazier both of Philadelphia, MS and Ernestine Haynes of Omaha, NE; three sisters-in-law, Everlee Burnside and Thelma Sledge both of Philadelphia, MS and Helen Sledge of Kansas City, MO; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Deacon Sledge was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife of 67 years, Nancy P. Eichelberger Sledge; his parents, Deacon R B Sledge and Daisy Kelly Sledge; two brothers, Deacon J D Sledge and Esther Lee Sledge; one sister, Eva Mae Culberson; one grandson, Larry Darden; five sisters-in-law, Eva Sledge, Hazel Moore, Freddie Mae Anderson, Lurethia Stribling and Betty Triplett; two sons-in-law, Melvin Thompson and Timothy Beeman and one brother-in-law, John Frazier. The funeral will take place at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 18, 2021 at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 810 Cathay Street, Saginaw, Michigan 48602. Pastor Blake Strozier will officiate. Interment in Forest Lawn Cemetery, 3210 South Washington Avenue, Saginaw, Michigan 48601. Friends may call at the Evans & Browne’s Funeral Home, 441 North Jefferson Avenue, Saginaw, Michigan 48607 on Friday from 2:00-6:00 p.m.