Surrounded by the love of his family, Phillip W. Slacum, 84, of Salisbury, MD passed away on April 23, 2015 at Coastal Hospice at the Lake in Salisbury. He was born at home on September 19, 1930 in Lakesville, MD to the late Bessie and Emerson Slacum. He is survived by his former wife and mother of his daughters, Jean F. Slacum of Salisbury, his daughters, Karen Hollands and her husband David Hollands of Plano, TX and Linda Slacum, of Salisbury. He is also survived by his beloved grandchildren, Anthony Palm III of Salisbury, Victoria Palm of Mt. Pleasant, SC and Meredith Palm and her fiancé, Joshua Fogel of Salisbury, as well as his great-granddaughter, Laila Neff of Salisbury. He is survived by nieces Elizabeth Molleur and her husband Michael, of Woodbridge, CT, and Alexandra Wells and her husband Spencer, of San Francisco, CA, and a nephew, Thomas Fitzgerald, III, of Beacon Falls, CT, whom he considered to be like a son. Also surviving is a special cousin, Donald Parks and his wife Linda, of St. Michaels, MD. Mr. Slacum served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He went to Signal School at Fort Gordon, GA and was stationed at the European Headquarters in Germany during the Korean War. A graduate of Wicomico County Schools, Mr. Slacum received a B.S. from Salisbury Teacher’s College, now Salisbury University, and an M.A. from Appalachian State University, with additional graduate studies at Appalachian State, University of Delaware and Salisbury State. He coached the first swim team in Salisbury, the first championship football team at the Salvation Army in Salisbury, and coached all three of his grandchildren in soccer at the YMCA. When his daughter, Karen, became a head coach at the Salvation Army, they were the first father-daughter coaching team. Together they coached a championship football team. For several years he taught and coached soccer, basketball and baseball at Pocomoke High School. He moved to Delaware when he became an administrator, living in both Selbyville and Millsboro. He was the last Superintendent of the Selbyville School District before district consolidation, as well as the first Assistant Superintendent of the newly created Indian River School District. Almost daily Mr. Slacum could be found at Jack Stanley’s Red Door Sub Shop, where he was known as “Dr. Phil.” He loved to joke with the staff and Monday morning quarterback with the “Rowdy Bunch.” Like many Eastern Shore natives, he loved most everything about the water – except for clams. With his young family, he enjoyed many hours on the water, fishing and water skiing on their boat, “The KarLin.” He passed his love of fishing onto his nephew Tommy, whose idea of an exciting summer adventure was to travel from Connecticut to Millsboro, Delaware to go fishing with his beloved Uncle Phil. One of his proudest accomplishments was being an inaugural inductee of the Salisbury University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985. He excelled in three sports, often serving as captain. Salisbury University held a special place for him. Not only did he and Jean meet and graduate from there, he proudly watched as both of their daughters and two of their grandchildren did the same. He also was inducted into the Wicomico County Fast Pitch Hall of Fame. Of all the roles Phil had in his life – coach, teacher, athlete, administrator, etc. – possibly the role he cherished most was that of being a grandfather. Over the years he logged hundreds of hours on various bleachers all over the Delmarva Peninsula as he cheered for his grandchildren’s various sports teams. He was also on speed dial for them as they experienced the trials of being young, inexperienced drivers, “rescuing” them from a myriad of crisis from flat tires, dead batteries, empty gas tanks and the occasional car accident. Everyone who knew Phil Slacum had a story about him. Most revolved around either him being a bit of a rascal in his younger years, or an anecdote about his infamous sense of humor. He somehow even mustered up the energy to joke around with his nurses at Coastal Hospice. Amidst his humor, he displayed admirable strength and courage as he bravely fought his battle with cancer. Services will be held on Monday, April 27, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. Holloway Funeral Home, with a calling hour from 10:00 until 11:00. A scholarship has been established in his honor for the benefit of students at Salisbury University. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Phillip Slacum Memorial Scholarship, c/o Salisbury University Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 2655, Salisbury, MD 21802. Donations may also be made in his memory to Coastal Hospice, P.O. Box 1733, Salisbury, MD 21802-1733. The family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to the caregivers at Coastal Hospice at the Lake for the wonderful care they provided, with special gratitude to Mr. Slacum’s home health nurse, Kristin Forster, for brightening his final days with both her lively sense of humor and tender sense of compassion. Arrangements are in the care of Holloway Funeral Home, P.A., 501 Snow Hill Rd., Salisbury, MD 21804, Please visit www.hollowayfh.com to express condolences to the family.
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