Mathilde ‘Hilde’ Slater, 80, of Sun City West, AZ, formerly of Terre Haute and Farmersburg, passed away on Saturday, August 3, 2013, at Palm Cedar Assisted Living in Chandler, AZ. She was born August 8, 1932, to Alois and Maria Schweinester in Germany. Hilde was living in Landshut, Germany when she met William ‘Bill’ Cooprider who was a soldier for the U.S. Army stationed in Germany during the Korean Conflict. They were married in Germany in October of 1954 and moved to Indiana the following year, settling in Farmersburg in 1959. They had three children. Bill passed away April 27,1983. Hilde was employed by Pillsbury Company where she later met Billy Slater. They married in October of 1984 and resided in Terre Haute, IN until moving to Sun City West, AZ in 1998. In her early years with Bill Cooprider, Hilde enjoyed shooting archery, playing cards and even riding motorcycles. She also later enjoyed bowling, playing bocce, euchre, and dominos. Hilde was a member of the Church of Christ in Sun City West, AZ.
Survivors include her husband, Billy Slater; daughter, Irma Jesop and her husband Brad of Fairfield, IL; daughter, Linda Francis and her husband Craig of Bonita Springs, FL; son, Ronald Cooprider and his wife Kathy of Ridgeville, SC; step-children, David, Jeri, Brian, Jan, George, Curtis and Dean Slater; grandchildren, Heidi Slinkard Brasher, Andy Cooprider, Shaun Slinkard and his wife Ashley, Daniel England, and Lindsay Jesop; great-grandchildren, Alex, Raven, and Derek Holloway, Jackson and Colin Brasher, and Dagon England. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Alois; and her husband, William Cooprider.
Hilde, always thinking of how to help others, donated her body to Parkinson research in Arizona. Cremation arrangements were also handled in Arizona. A memorial service in celebration of her life will be held at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, August 29, 2013, at DeBaun Springhill Chapel, 85 E. Springhill Drive in Terre Haute. Hilde’s nephew, Mike Barcus, will be officiating the service. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. until service time on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, if friends so desire, memorial contributions may be made in Hilde’s name to the National Parkinson Foundation or the church/charity of your choice.