Jolyn Tatum Slate

Jolyn Marie Tatum Slate, 58, of Lake Charles, LA died at 11:35 AM on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 in a local hospital.

Born August 24, 1953, Ms. Slate grew up in inner-city New Orleans, LA. The daughter of Vernon James Tatum Sr., a painter by trade and WWII veteran, and Ellyna Blanks Tatum, a well known singer/entertainer, Ms. Slate was the youngest of four children. She was a 1971 graduate of Joseph S. Clark High School and graduated from Grambling State University with her bachelor's degree in Mass Communications in 1974. She married shortly after college and moved to Lake Charles after the birth of her first child in 1978. Ms. Slate worked in radio marketing at Town Square Media (formerly Apex Broadcasting) for almost thirty years. She was a parishoner and Eucharistic Minister at St. Margaret Catholic Church. Ms. Slate valued the excellence acheived through Catholic education and proudly chose to send both of her children to elementary and high school in the Catholic school system. Ms. Slate was an active member and volunteer of many local clubs and organizations including the Advertising Press Club of Southwest Louisiana, Chamber Southwest Louisiana, Advertising Federation of Southwest Louisiana, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Literacy Council, Sisters Surviving Breast Cancer, Black Heritage Festival, American Cancer Society, United Way, and the Ethel Precht Breast Cancer Walk.

Ms. Slate is survived by her children, Amber Burnett and husband Faron of Orange, TX, and Elliott Slate of Lake Charles; sister, Cilleria McClendon and husband Dwight; brother, Vernon James Tatum, Jr., all of New Orleans; grandchild, Jaida Marie Burnett; and father of her children, Phillip Slate of Lake Charles.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and sister, Vernance Tatum.

Her funeral mass will be at 12:00 PM on Friday, November 11, 2011 at St. Margaret Catholic Church. Father Scott Conner will officiate. Graveside service will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 in New Orleans, LA. Visitation will be at Johnson Funeral Home on Friday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM with a Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Omega Omega service at 11:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Alumni Foundation, or Sisters Surviving Cancer Support Group or to any of the aforementioned organizations in which Ms. Slate was involved.