James Kenneth Slautich

James Kenneth (Jim) Slautich, 71, of Asheville, NC, died November 10, 2014, from Mesothelioma at the John F. Keever, Jr. Solace Center in Asheville.  Born on July16, 1943, in Steubenville, Ohio, Jim was raised by his mother Blanche Slautich, now deceased, in Weirton, WV where he graduated from Madonna High School in1961.  He earned his BA in Speech and Drama in 1965 at West Virginia University where he was a member of the Alpha Phi Delta fraternity.  Jim did his graduate study in theatre at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. earning his master’s degree in 1970.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years Judith Barbor (Judy) Slautich, son Nathaniel Jameson (Nat) Slautich, and daughter Nancy Roberta (Luna) Slautich, all now residing in Asheville.

Jim taught drama and English in the Fairfax County School System in Virginia for 32 years.  He was Drama Director at Langley High School from 1967 – 1969 and at Fairfax High School from 1970 – 1984.  He retired from teaching in 2000 and worked as a computer networker at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale until 2004 when Judy retired from teaching and they moved to Asheville.

In Asheville Jim enjoyed the natural beauties of Western NC and the wonderful city of Asheville.  He pursued his lifelong love of learning through taking a wide variety of classes at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNC Asheville.  He became active with NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) where he and Judy participated in Crisis Intervention Training sessions with local law enforcement agencies.

His love of theatre led him back to acting with Asheville’s great amateur theatre community, especially with the Montford Park Players and Different Strokes.  He was thrilled to get to play such wonderful Shakespearean characters such as Prospero, Shylock, Antony, Brutus, Titus , Jacques and others.  His last performance was in “Proof” this past March.

There was a private cremation by Asheville Alternative Funeral Services.  A Celebration of Life event is being planned for Monday, December 8 at 7:00 P.M. at the Masonic Temple  in Asheville.  All are welcome.  His family hopes his friends, neighbors and theatre buddies will come with stories, memories, thoughts, and even performances to honor the life and loves of Jim.

In lieu of flowers those who wish may make memorial donations to the Montford Park Players or NAMI Western North Carolina chapter.

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