Eunice Slye was born on Dec 3, 1919, the fifth child in a family of 11 children. Her mother and father were Harry and Ruth Wingard of Shippenville. Eunice is known to many of her friends and family as a very kind, sharing and hard working farm wife. She married Charles Slye, of Venus, in 1941. They shared 64 happy years together. They raised four children: Lita, Vi, Merritt and Iris Jane. She and her husband had a big garden that Eunice worked many hours in, planting, hoeing, weeding and harvesting. She gave her friends and neighbors produce and would can or freeze hundreds of quarts for winter eating. Eunice helped feed the cattle and chickens. She loved flowers and had a yard full of beautiful colors that she also shared with many others. It was a pleasure just to walk through her yard.
Eunice Slye
Eunice has started her day for many years by reading her Bible and praying to her Father in heaven, she continues this. Her love for the Lord is seen by all that know her. She has been a member of the Pine City Free Methodist Church for more than 74 years. She was on the church board, taught Sunday school for many years and always had a beautiful bouquet of flowers to enhance the interior of the church. She has opened her home to several preachers, wives and family, while they were ministering at the church.
The children recall that when they got home from school, there was always a snack waiting for them before they all went to do farm chores.
Eunice graduated from the Shippenville High School. Her first job was as a maid for a couple of families in Oil City, getting paid $5 per week to care for the children, clean and cook.
Several grandchildren have had the pleasure of working side by side with Eunice while she made her yummy sugar cookies, working in the garden, mowing the lawn, gathering eggs, or helping turn the crank on the ice cream freezer. At breakfast time, Eunice would serve her grandchildren a “kitty” pancake.
Eunice still likes to keep busy with washing dishes, folding laundry, snapping green beans, husking corn and chatting on the phone.
One of her favorite pastimes is reading her mail, visiting with friends and family that stop in, especially her grandchildren. She loves to share stories from the past. She has recalled a time that she and her parents traveled from Shippenville to Hazen to visit relatives, in a horse drawn buggy.
Eunice never had a drivers licence. She did drive a tractor a couple times, but if you want to hear that story, you will need to chat with her about it.
A special time for Eunice was when she and Charles traveled by bus across the country, stopping in different states to visit siblings. They ended up in the state of Washington.
Eunice is blessed with 15 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren and nine great, great grandchildren.
Eunice now makes her home with her son.
If wanting to send birthday wishes, please send to Eunice Slye at 2212 State Rt. 157, Oil City, PA 16301.
(This article was written and submitted by Eunice Slye’s family.)
