Florence O'Neal Slightom
<span>HARRISBURG -- Florence O’Neal Slightom, formerly of Harrisburg, passed away quietly in Springfield Memorial Hospital on Friday, Feb. 10, 2017.</span>
<span>She was born Feb. 28, 1921, to Charles Paul and Mary (Steagall) O’Neal in Ozark. </span>
<span>Florence was married to Dr. John Slightom, former optometrist and mayor of Harrisburg. They spent many years raising their children there.</span>
<span>She was active in the local chapter of P.E.O. and First Baptist Church choir, along with many other community and social groups.</span>
<span>Mrs. Slightom received her bachelor's degree in education from SIU (then S.I. Normal College) with a concentration in English and music. She enjoyed teaching English and reading at Malan Junior High in the late 1960s and early '70s. </span>
<span>She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, John Paul; two brothers, Jim and Charles O’Neal; and son-in-law, Fred Whitlatch.</span>
<span>Survivors include her brother, Rayburn; children, Mary Ann (Rich) Morris, Jim (Mesha) Slightom and Debby Whitlatch; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and special friend, Fred Harvey (Marion). </span>
<span>She wanted her body to be donated to science and then cremated, with the ashes to be joined with her husband’s in the future. A small memorial service with just immediate family is planned for the future.</span>
<span>In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois or charity of the donor’s choice. </span>