TUPELO – Myrtle Gillentine Slater was born in Itawamba County, MS on December 23, 1927 to the late Elijah and Angelia Enlow Gillentine. She departed this life on Friday, May 22, 2020 at Diversicare Nursing Home in Tupelo where she had resided the last year. Hers was a long and fruitful life. Like many Itawambians in the 1950’s looking for jobs, she moved with her family to the Waukegan, IL area where she lived for almost 50 years before returning to Mississippi. While there, she was employed by the Target Manufacturing Company, which made military supplies. Myrtle enjoyed good conversation with family and friends, working word puzzles, and knitting. She attended Valley Grove Baptist Church before her health failed.
A service celebrating her life will be held at 1:30 PM today (Sunday, May 24, 2020) from the Tupelo Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors, with her former pastor, Bro. Tommy Tackett, officiating. Burial will follow in the Keyes Cemetery in Itawamba County. Visitation begins at Noon today until service time. For those unable to attend, the service may be viewed at 1:30 PM today at www.hollandfuneraldirectors.com/Live-streaming, where it will be permanently archived.
Myrtle is survived by two sons, Tommy “Tom” Moore and wife, Luci, of Mooreville, and Tim Baldwyn and wife, Toni, of McHenry, IL; her grandchildren, Rick and Heather Moore of Mantachie, Heidi Moore of Mooreville, and Jessica Baldwyn, Joey Baldwyn, and Jamie Baldwyn, all of Illinois, and Shelby Bryant and Lacey Bryant; several great- and great-great-grandchildren; 1 brother, J. L. Gillentine and wife, Faye, of Cullman, AL; two step-sons, Glen Slater and Tony Slater, and their families from Illinois. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband, Ralph Slater, who died March 10, 1988; and four siblings.
Holland Funeral Directors is honored to serve their friends.
