Eldon Vern Slagle, age 94, died April 1, 2015, at Stoneybrook Retirement Community, Manhattan, KS. He was born May 12, 1920, the first son of Vern and Ivy (Prose) Slagle, on the old Pickerell place south of Beeler, Ness County, KS. The family moved to the Buda community where he grew up. He attended grade school at Buda and Plum Creek, and in 1937, graduated from Beeler High School.

He married Doris Kitch on March 19, 1941, and started farming south of Beeler, living on his grandfather George Slagle’s place. In 1942 he was drafted into active duty and spent the rest of WWII serving in New Guinea, the Philippines, and Mindora. Staff Sergeant Slagle was discharged and returned home in December, 1945.

Eldon returned to Ness county where he farmed until 1969, when he and Doris moved to Manhattan, KS. He worked for the KSU Agronomy Department until his retirement. After retirement he stayed busy by working for McCullough Development, gardening, and caring for his yard.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris, son Russell, sisters Velma (Stout), Bernie (Sculley-Nauerth), and Neva (Bollinger) and brothers Earl and Floyd. Survivors include a son, Bruce and his wife Marie Slagle, Burns, TN, a daughter Penny Robinson, Salida, CO, a step-grandson Richard Totty and wife Dolores, Humboldt, TN, great-granddaughter Christina Totty, Chattanooga, TN and longtime friend and companion Burga Hudson, Manhattan. He is also survived by a sister-in-law Gertrude Slagle, Ness City, KS, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Memorial Services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday May 2, 2015 at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas. Visitation will be from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm on Friday May 1, 2015 at the funeral home.

Inurnment will be at 10:30 a.m. on Monday May 4, 2015 at the Buda Cemetery, Beeler, Kansas.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or to the Terry C. Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research at KSU in care of Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City, Kansas.