Fern Marie Elaine (Crowder) Sloat, 82, passed away Thursday, Oct.  6, 2011 at Rosegate Healthcare in Indianapolis.

Fern was born Jan. 12, 1929 in Evansville.

She graduated from Evansville Central High School in 1948 and was married to Raymond E. “Gene” Sloat on Oct. 14, 1950.

Fern was a member of Heritage Baptist Church in Evansville and retired from the Hulman Building Management Corp. in 1997. She previously attended University Heights Baptist and Bible Baptist Churches in Evansville and Calvary Baptist Church in Owensville, where Gene served as pastor.

Fern is survived by three daughters and their husbands, Brenda and Robert Overton of Indianapolis, Linda and Timothy Tooke and Lisa and Jeffrey Lockridge, all of Evansville; son, David Sloat of Houston, Texas; sister and brother-in-law, Joyce and Kenneth Vogel of Mt. Vernon; grandchildren, Drew Mariner and his wife Keri Beth of Indianapolis, Brynn McCuiston of Evansville; Jacob Wittman, of Washington, D.C., Nicholas Wittman of Budapest, Hungary; step-granddaughters, Crystal Miller and  Makenzie Tooke of Evansville; great-grandchildren, Annabelle and Elijah Mariner and Gavin, Grace and Galen McCuiston; sister-in-law, Adrienne (Samuel Jr.) Sloat, of Newburgh; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and church family.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, the Rev. Raymond E.“Gene” Sloat in 2005; her parents, Earl Crowder Sr. in 2004 and Mildred (Stiker) Crowder in 1993;  brother and sister-in-law, Earl (Jr.) and Joyce Crowder; sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Monte Mullen; and brother-in-law, Samuel Sloat Jr.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011 at Browning Funeral Home, 738 Diamond Ave. Evansville, with the Rev. Maurice Melton officiating.

Friends may call from 2-8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10, 2011 and after 9 a.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.

The family would like to thank the staff at Parkview Care Center in Evansville and the staff at Rosegate Healthcare in Indianapolis for the loving care they provided for Fern.