Obituary of Howard F. Slater

Howard Forrest Slater passed away on his birthday, August 31, 2018, at the Gardens at Monroe at the age of 70 years old. Howard was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and lived for many years with his family in East Brunswick, New Jersey before moving with his wife, Gail, to Monroe Township in 2016. Howard was a proud small business owner; for many years, he operated A Conceptual Company, providing cleaning chemicals, equipment, training, and service to the hospitality industry throughout the tristate area. Prior to entering this field of work, Howard wore many hats across various industries. Throughout his twenties, he was a music producer (most notably putting on shows at Hunter College featuring Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, and Melanie). And as a young man, he drove a NYC taxicab, a postal truck, and a delivery truck for Canada Dry. Howard was an avid teller of dirty jokes, a trait he inherited from his mother, Sally, and he was devoted to his family, like his father, Syd. With his wife, Gail, he loved to bring his daughters into Manhattan to delight in New York City at its best, regularly attending Broadway shows and enjoying fine dining experiences. As a lover of theatre, Howard especially enjoyed the work of William Shakespeare. In his free time, Howard could often be found with a crossword puzzle in hand. Howard was happiest when entertaining and playing host, opening his home and heart to his daughters’ friends, many of whom saw Gail and Howard as honorary parents. Howard proudly earned an MBA from New York University, graduating with distinction, and a BA from Hunter College. He served as a member of the United States Army Reserves during the Vietnam War. Howard is survived by his wife of 40 years, Gail Slater of Monroe Township, New Jersey; two daughters- Meredith Slater and her husband Jacob Hyman of Englewood, Colorado; and Lauren Siegmund and her husband Andrick Siegmund of Detroit, Michigan. He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Douglas and Karen Slater of Monroe Township, New Jersey. He will be remembered fondly by his grandpuppies, Zoë and Buddy. Family and friends are invited to gather at the M. David DeMarco Funeral Home on Monday September 3, 2018 at 1:00pm. Memorial Services will begin at 1:30pm. Family and friends are invited to sit Shiva at Gail's home, 56 Westminster Drive, Monroe Township, NJ 08831 from 1-4pm and 6-8pm on the following dates Tuesday September 4th Wednesday, September 5th, Thursday, September, 6th and Friday, September 7th. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Howard’s name can be made to ActionAid USA, UNICEF USA, or Well Spouse Association, which are all near and dear to the family. To plant a tree in memory of Howard Slater, please visit our Tribute Store.