Lawrence A. "Slats" Trower, 84, of Arthur, passed away at 3:45 AM Thursday, June 24, 2010 at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, Mattoon.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Monday, June 28, 2010 at the Vine Street Christian Church, Arthur, with Rev. Rick Williams officiating. Burial will follow in the Arthur Cemetery with military rites accorded. Visitation will be held 5:00-8:00 PM Sunday at Shrader Funeral Home, 431 S. Vine Street, Arthur.

Slats was born November 4, 1925 in Arthur the son the Joseph A. and Ella B. Trower. He married Jane Craig in Arthur on May 20, 1948 and she survives.

Besides his wife, Jane, survivors include 3 daughters, Cheryl (Dan) Jackson of Toledo, Connie (John) Armer of Bethany, Cindy (Steve) Helton of Arthur; 6 grandchildren, Tami (Gary) Hatten of Neoga, Scott (Amy) Jackson of Clayton, North Carolina, Keri (Joe) Sowers of Newton, Matthew (Jenny) Jackson of Toledo, Jared (Kelly) Armer of Mattoon, Jodi (Mark) Herbord of Bethany; 14 great grandchildren; brother, Richard (Ruth) Trower of Huxley, Iowa; 2 sisters, Ella Wahl of Downers Grove, Suzanne (Jack) Wagner of Mahomet; brother-in-law, Charles Otterstedt of Forsyth; several nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, 3 brothers, Joe, Charles, and Bob Trower; and 1 sister, Josephine Ferguson.

Slats graduated from Arthur High School in May,1944, and joined the U.S. Marine Corps in June, 1944. He completed basic training at Camp Pendleton, California and was deployed to the Pacific Theatre during World War II. After being wounded in the Battle of Iwo Jima, Slats was awarded the Purple Heart. His unit, Company B, 24th Regiment, 4th Marine Division, was awarded the Presidential Citation.

Slats was a member of the Arthur Vine Street Christian Church for over 60 years and served as an elder and youth mentor for many years. He was a charter member and past president of the Arthur Lions Club, a member of the Arthur Masonic Lodge for 54 years and 32nd degree from the Danville Consistory, a member and past commander of the Arthur VFW Post 479, and American Legion for 61 years, and a member of the Champaign Marine Corps League.

Slats was awarded the Meldin Jones Fellow by Lion's Club International for dedicated humanitarian services in 1989; he received a plaque from the American Legion as the most outstanding fundraiser in 1989 for selling raffle tickets and raising money; he received the State Master Gardener Excellence Award and the Outstanding Master Gardener Award from the University of Illinois in 2003.

Slats raised tomatoes for the VFW Post for 14 years that provided scholarships for Arthur/Lovington High School graduates. He also worked with Melissa Rush's class and the 5th and 6th grade students in Arthur in which they grew vegetables across from the grade school and, in turn, gave the produce to food banks, churches, and families in need. He loved working with the students and the community.

In February of 2006, Rep. Bob Flider and Rep. Chapin Rose presented Slats with a copy of a resolution by the House of Representatives of Illinois for winning the 2005 Humanitarian Award of the Arthur Association of Commerce. In September, 2009, Slats was honored to go on the Central Illinois Honor Flight to Washington, DC to see the WWII Memorial.

Slats retired from Quantam in Tuscola after 36 ½ years and also ran a refrigeration business for several years.

Slats was a great husband, dad, grandpa, great grandpa, and friend. He was proud of his family and had a great love for them and all of his friends. He carried out family values all of his life. He always stressed these values and believed that getting along was the key of life. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Semper Fi, Slats, we will always love you!

Memorials are suggested the Vine Street Christian Church, Arthur Lion's Club, Arthur Home, or Champaign Marine Corps League.

Online condolences to the family may be sent to www.hilligossshraderfh.com.