RAPID CITY | Thomas Leo Slattery peacefully joined his Heavenly Father and beloved family on Friday August 23rd at the age of 80. He was born September 19, 1932, to Leo and Dorothy (Rater) Slattery in Ottumwa, Iowa. At a very young age the family moved to Rapid City, South Dakota. As a young boy, Tom enjoyed playing outside, swimming at Canyon Lake, and spending time with family and friends. He served as an altar boy at Immaculate Conception Church which was the beginning of a lifetime of service in the church. He attended Cathedral High School from which he graduated in 1951. During his time there, he excelled at football, basketball, and golf, helped manage the Harney Hotel, which was the family business, and enjoyed driving around town with friends in his Plymouth. The friends he made in high school were very dear and close to Tom and he stayed in touch with them throughout the rest of his life. After high school Tom attended Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, helped with the care of his family, and worked in construction at Ellsworth Air Force Base. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and completed basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. He received an honorable discharge in 1955 after a severe illness. He then returned to Rapid City and became a traveling salesman for Phillip Morris Tobacco Company covering western South Dakota and other territories. The rest of his career he worked managing various rental properties the family owned in Rapid City. He greatly enjoyed being a part of the business community and was fond of the many people he met during his career. Tom had a great love of Rapid City. Throughout the majority of his life, he lived in his childhood home on West Boulevard which the family purchased in the late 1930's. He loved his neighborhood and enjoyed knowing all of his neighbors. It was always interesting to hear him tell stories of Rapid City's history, especially where all the different businesses and buildings were located. He had a great appreciation for the community and its history. Faith was the most important thing to Tom. He attended mass at Immaculate Conception, St. Isaac Jogues, St. Therese, and the Cathedral. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus for 52 years. Starting in high school, he would often drive nuns and clergy to appointments and help them with whatever errands they needed. He was always willing to help anyone that needed help. He believed very strongly in contributing to charity and was very generous. He loved giving to numerous Catholic charities, Cornerstone Rescue Mission, a variety of veteran's groups, as well as many others. To those who knew Tom, his greatest attribute undoubtedly was his kindness. He treated everyone with thoughtfulness, consideration, and genuine concern. He believed strongly in taking care of your family. He spent the majority of his life taking care of his family, often putting their needs in front of his own. His kind and loving ways will never be forgotten. Grateful to have shared in his life are his family and numerous friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Dorothy Slattery, and his siblings Theresa Slattery, Mary Margaret Slattery, Katherine Slattery, Dorothy (Slattery) Hanson, and William Slattery. He is survived by his niece, Mary Kay, and husband, Jeff Tomlinson of Sheridan, WY; nephew, Daniel Hanson, and wife, Allison, of Rapid City, SD; great-nieces and nephews Katie and Rater Tomlinson and Elizabeth and Bennett Hanson; and brother-in-law George Hanson. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home, 2700 Jackson Boulevard, with a rosary at 7 p.m. Christian Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 520 Cathedral Drive with the Rev. Bill Zandri and the Rev. Dave Matzko, S.J. officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Catholic Social Services or Cornerstone Rescue Mission.