Frank Heidl Slocum, Jr.
Frank Heidl Slocum, Jr., proud father and grandfather, passed away surrounded by his loving family on January 9, 2026, at the age of 82 in Tierra Verde, Florida. Frank was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, on June 30, 1943, and grew up in Westfield, New Jersey.
Frank was a direct descendant of Giles Slocum, who immigrated from Somerset, England to Portsmouth, Rhode Island in the 1640s along the line of Giles’ son Nathaniel, who was associated with a small group of settlers who established Long Branch, New Jersey. Famously, the Slocums negotiated land with the local Native American Lenape tribe deciding on a wrestling match between their chosen Native American, Vow-a-Vapon, and John Slocum, brother to Nathaniel. Vow-a-Vapon arrived covered in goose grease, and John Slocum threw fistfuls of sand to get a good grip and won the ‘best two out of three’ matches. The prize was as much land as could be walked in a day, which ended up being 375 acres of land at 20 shillings an acre. A total payment was made of 4 pounds for the land which became Long Branch, New Jersey.
Frank decided as a young boy he would be a pilot. After graduating from Westfield High School in 1961 and Clemson University in 1966, he served seven years in the Air Force piloting AC-47 ‘Spooky’ gunships during his two tours in Vietnam. He saw duty in both Vietnam and Thailand. Returning to the states, Frank was assigned to KC-135 airborne tankers. Frank met Cheryl Lynn Hayes, from Sarasota, Florida, in Tampa, Florida, while he was stationed at Mac Dill Air Force Base. They married in 1973, and Frank earned his master’s degree in Industrial Management from Central Michigan University. Frank was honorably discharged from the Air Force with the rank of Captain in 1974. Frank and Cheryl settled in Medford, New Jersey, where they raised their three daughters. Frank went on to become a successful senior executive in the automotive industry, specializing in automotive drivetrain and transmissions at Raybestos Powertrain based in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where their family eventually moved in 1996.After Cheryl’s passing in 2007 and Frank’s retirement, he moved to the island of Tierra Verde, Florida.
If you spent time with Frank, you’d probably find yourself in conversation about at least one of his favorite subjects: Slocum family history, genealogy, his favorite restaurants, career advice, Clemson stories, his three girls, his five grandchildren, Air Force days, planes, trains and automobiles, manufacturing and engineering processes, finance, the stock market or the book he authored, “Seven Names Off the Wall.” Frank was an eternal optimist, truly thinking he or anyone could do anything. He wrote his own rules—and expected and encouraged everyone else to do the same. He was known for his individuality and one-liners. He liked to help people by providing innovative ideas and advice, often following up after more thought and with guidance. His natural confidence and optimism served him well throughout life, stepping up to be a hero on more than one occasion—saving the life of a drowning girl, and then again saving himself and seven other souls in Vietnam after taking over and safely landing their plane after it sustained extensive mortar damage with an injured crew.
Left to cherish Frank’s bright memory are his brother, Ray G. Slocum of Blairstown, NJ, three daughters Courtney (Matthew) Petersen of Boston, MA, Kyleigh (Nate) Moore of Alpharetta, GA and Whitney (John) Burkett of Tampa, FL, his bright-eyed grandchildren Claire and Grant Petersen, Beatrice and Ivy Burkett and Wyatt Moore, sister-in-law Marilyn Hayes and brother-in-law Thomas (Tracy) Hayes, nephews Bryant (Marisa) Hayes, Weston Hayes and Greg Slocum, niece Laurence Pass and the Alston family, as well as many friends and family.
Frank is preceded in death by his parents, Frank Heidl Slocum, Sr. and Florence (Gibson) Slocum, his cherished wife Cheryl Lynn (Hayes) Slocum, sisters-in-law Jackie Hayes and Barbara Slocum, mother-in-law Dorothy May (Rupert) Hayes and many adored cats.
A celebration of life to honor the life of Frank Heidl Slocum, Jr. will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at noon at Ferraro’s Restaurant in Westfield, New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his honor to support breast cancer research at Metavivor.org.
