More detail on this person: Age 74, Lawton -
Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. Monday in the
Becker Funeral Home Memorial Chapel with
Chaplain (LTC) Paul Andreasen officiating.
Colonel Slusher died Tuesday in Lawton.
Burial with full military honors will be in the
Post Cemetery, Fort Sill.
He was born April 18, 1935 in Oklahoma City. He
graduated from Newcastle High School in 1953. He
attended the University of Oklahoma and received a
BA in History in 1958. He was commissioned in the
U.S. Army through the R.O.T.C. program. He
married Sylvia Weaver on May 27, 1960.
He spent most of his twenty year Army career
flying both fixed and rotary wing aircraft and was
involved in the early development of armed
helicopters. He served two tours each at Fort
Sill, Oklahoma, Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Knox,
Kentucky and three tours of duty in Vietnam. He
also served tours of duty in Germany and Fort
Rucker, Alabama.
His awards and decorations include the Army
Aviator Badge, Vietnam Service Medal with Seven
Service Stars, Purple Heart, National Defense
Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign
Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Armed Forces
Reserve Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross with
First Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal with
Second Oak Leaf Cluster, Senior Army Aviator
Badge, Air Medal with V Device and Nineteenth
Oak Leaf Clusters, Four Overseas Service Bars,
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
with Palm and the Meritorious Service Medal.
His last Army position was with Cameron University
as Assistant Professor of Military Science from
October 1973 to July 1976 and became Professor of
Military Science from August 1976 until his
retirement from Active duty in May of 1979 with
over 20 years of active service.
Following his retirement from the Army he spent
one year teaching High School R.O.T.C. in
Houston, Texas, and sixteen years working for the
Oklahoma Department of Human Services as a job
developer.
He was a member of the Vietnam Veterans of
America and was known as the "Ole Redbird" caller
on the Sports Animal Radio Program. He was
member of the DAV and a past member of the Noon
Lion's Club.
He is survived by his wife, of the home; a
daughter and son in law, Dina and Gregory Seward,
Lawton; two granddaughters, Lauren Blount, and
Melisa Seward, both of Lawton.
Memorial contributions may be made to the
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 825 NE
13th Street, Oklahoma City OK 73104 or to the
charity of the donor's choice.
The family will greet friends from 2-4 pm Sunday
at the funeral home.
Burial information: Post Cemetery, Fort Sill, OK
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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