Carolyn Sue (Blankenship) Slightom, 79, of Hillsboro, died Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, at 2:45 p.m. at her residence.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Feb. 3, at 12 p.m. at the Plummer Funeral Home in Litchfield, with burial in the Elm Lawn Cemetery. Visitiation will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.
Mrs. Slightom was born March 23, 1944, to Estie Denver and Grace Minnie (Roach) Blankenship in Mulberry Grove. She attended Hillsboro High School starting in 1959 and left to marry Fred Dixon in 1960. She later earned her GED for high school. While married to Mr. Dixon, they had three children, Michael (Becky) Dixon, Karen (Keith) Durbin, and Rhonda (significant other Mike Hutchins) Huber. After divorce, she married Kenneth Matthews in 1965, and they had one son, Jim (wife Karen) Matthews. After they divorced in 1994, she married Larry E. Slightom Sr. in 2003, and he survives in Hillsboro.
After high school Mrs. Slightom worked at Roller Derby and then WEPCO Mfg. in Litchfield. In 1968, she attended Crysler Academy School of Cosmetology in Taylorville. In 1983, she went to work for the Head Start program in Taylor Springs first as a Classroom Aide, then as a CEFS Bus Aide and then as a CEFS Bus Driver. She retired from CEFS in 2008. She also worked at Trails End Tavern in Taylor Springs on weekends during the 1990’s and early 2000’s.
Mrs. Slightom enjoyed being around her extensive family and shopping at Resale Stores with her friend of 50-plus years, Wanda Jarman. She enjoyed turkey hunting and deer hunting with a bow and arrow and a gun. She took a huge 14-point buck just two weeks prior to being diagnosed with cancer. Most of all she took pride and deeply loved her family and friends who will miss her immensely.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Slightom is survived by her children; 12 grandkids; 28 great-grandkids; two great-great-grandkids; seven stepsons, one stepdaughter, three step-grandkids; three step great-grandkids; two brothers, Denver Blankenship of Hillsboro and Ivan (Evelyn) Blankenship of Litchfield and her sister, Geraldine Jackson of Daleville, AL.
Mrs. Slightom is preceded in death by her parents; brothers, William Blankenship, and Gary Blankenship; and a sister, Virginia “Ginny” Howard.
The family asks for memorials to be directed to the Montgomery County Cancer Association. To light a virtual candle, sign the online guestbook, or for directions, please visit www.plummerfuneralservices.com
