Amelia Hope Slovensky

Amelia Hope Slovensky, nee Houston, passed away peacefully March 4th, 2016 after a long struggle with cancer. She was born December 30, 1942 to Roy Monroe and Zula Poole Houston in Clovis, New Mexico, near the Texas border town where they lived. She was their first child. After Hope's father died in 1947, her mother moved the family—now with three children and a fourth on the way—to Missouri to live near her parents. This was the beginning of life on the farm, an experience that impacted us all our lives.

As the oldest of five children, Hope was the one we all turned to at one time or another. She had a strong sense of responsibility, often playing the role of caretaker for her younger siblings. In 1954, when our mother moved us to California for a job at Aerojet, Hope was only twelve, but she already showed her drive for independence and self-sufficiency. She started working, first babysitting for every family in the neighborhood, then stocking shelves in the back of a local Five & Dime store until she met the age requirement to work out front. She never stopped working until she retired, gratefully taking every job that offered itself and learning as she went. Along the way, she married four times and had two children, Kimberlee and James. She ended up with a wonderful man, R.C. Slovensky, whom she survived by almost eleven years.

Hope had varied passions and interests. She loved animals, was a fabulous cook, read constantly, was a member of toastmasters, and gardened with the skill of a true farm girl. She supported numerous charities including the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Hope will be missed. She reached out to many people, never forgetting a birthday, showing keen interest and sympathy for every niece and nephew, and every child of every friend. She is survived by her two children, her granddaughter, Kendra, and her four siblings—Michael, Mary, Rebecca, and Nancy.

May she rest in eternal peace.