Douglas Slinger

BEAVER DAM - Douglas Slinger, 71, of rural Beaver Dam, died peacefully at his home Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009.

Doug was born March 27, 1938, the son of Chester and Marion Dodge Slinger. He attended Cambria Grade and High School, graduating in 1956. He enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Madison short course for farming, graduating in 1957. On July 1, 1961, Doug was united in marriage to Mary Ann Anding at First Methodist Church in Madison. Doug enlisted in the National Guard and was stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash., during the Berlin Crisis, returning to his hometown of Cambria in 1962. He farmed in the rural Cambria area until 1964, when they moved to their present home on Sunny Point Road. Specializing in eggplant, Doug sold a variety of vegetables at the farmers market in Madison for many years. As a sufferer of multiple sclerosis, Doug invented a foot lift assist to aid MS patients, for which he received a patent. Doug raced quarter horses in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. He enjoyed hunting turkey and deer, and loved his farm animals, dogs, cats and raising quail and rabbits. Doug and Mary Ann enjoyed couples league bowling. Doug was an avid Packers, Badgers and Brewers fan and enjoyed Western movies. Doug was a member of Grace Presbyterian Church in Beaver Dam and a past member of First Presbyterian Church in Cambria.

Doug is survived by his wife, Mary Ann of rural Beaver Dam; his daughter, Ann of Beaver Dam; two grandchildren, Teagen and Quinn McCallum of Beaver Dam; his mother, Marion Lloyd of rural Cambria; one brother, Phillip (Marilyn) Slinger of Green Bay; sisters, Sherry (Wayne) Bornick of Portage, Eleanor (David) Layton of Battle Mountain, Nev., and Jeanette Jones of Portage; two sisters-in-law, Elaine Drachenberg of Arena and Shirley Anding of Spring Green; nieces, nephews, other relatives and dear friends.

Doug was preceded in death by his father, Chester Slinger, and stepfather, David Lloyd.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday from First Presbyterian Church in Cambria with the Rev. Julie WaterDu officiating. Burial will follow in Rosedale Cemetery, town of Scott. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Kratz-Smedema Funeral Home in Cambria and also from 10 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at the church.