Note: death year from tombstone; no dates given on newspaper clipping; middle name from a cousin of his

Note: Since there was not a specific date of death, a date of June 1st was chosen in order to input this record. Roy Slader Funeral Held

Fort Calhoun Man, 76, Was the Son of Pioneer County Couple

The funeral of 76-year old Roy Slader of Fort Calhoun was held yesterday. He died Monday. The Sievers Funeral Home was in charge of the rites, held at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon at the Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church.

Surviving Mr. Slader are two brothers, Guy and Mark Slader.

Mr. Slader gained fame with a political squash during the 1948 presidential campaign. Calling himself a “100% Republican farmer,” he grew a very special squash to express his political sentiments.

A week before the Republican national convention that year, Mr. Slader carved “Elect Dewey and Warren” in a young squash. His inscription proved prophetic, for Thomas E. Dewey and Earl Warren emerged on the G.O.P. ticket.

When the squash grew to full size, Mr. Slader sent it to Mr. Dewey.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~

FindaGrave memorial 8976822