Donna M. Slater, 77 formerly of Munster, Indiana and Olympia Fields, Illinois, passed away on January 14, 2024. She was born in Hammond, Indiana on April 12, 1946 to John and Irene Kolanko. Donna graduated from Hammond High School in 1964 and from Purdue University in 1968 with a degree in Art Education, where sheContinue Reading
Donna M. Slater, 77 formerly of Munster, Indiana and Olympia Fields, Illinois, passed away on January 14, 2024. She was born in Hammond, Indiana on April 12, 1946 to John and Irene Kolanko. Donna graduated from Hammond High School in 1964 and from Purdue University in 1968 with a degree in Art Education, where she was also a proud member of the Pi Phi sorority. She received her Masters in Education, and for nearly 30 years she was a school teacher, including teaching Art at Hoover Elementary in Calumet City, Illinois, and teaching Early Childhood Development at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, Illinois.
Donna is survived by her sister, Rita (John) Collins; two sons Christian Slater and Nick (Erin) Slater; grandkids, Lauren Slater, Jimmy Slater, Alexander Slater and Jackson Slater; her nephew, Matthew (Tricia) Collins; and niece Kim (Chris) Blanz.
A Memorial Celebration of her Life will be held in the Spring.
Donna dedicated her life to her family, and often displayed that love through her gifts of cooking family meals. Good cooking runs deep in her family. Her grandparents immigrated to the Midwest from Poland, Austria and Hungary, and her grandparents ran a successful grocery store and meat market in Hammond, Indiana. Donna proudly kept, and mastered, the many recipes her parents and grandparents handed down to her. Cooking was her gift of love that she gave to her family and friends every day, and she passed that love of cooking to her two sons, who have passed that love to her four grandchildren. Nothing made Donna happier than a family meal around the table that would linger for hours.
Donna is celebrated for the generosity she shared with those that she loved, whether it was her creating beautiful meals for friends and family, her infectious laugh and many jokes, or even just making sure the kids in her classrooms had the supplies they needed, regardless of if they could afford them. Her kind heart will be dearly missed.
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