Jean Slusher

DECATUR Jean Darnell Shelley Slusher, 68, went home to be with our Lord, Sunday, July 18, 2010, after her battle with cancer the past year.Jean was born and grew up in Chattanooga. She achieved her Registered Nurse (RN) degree at Baroness Erlanger Hospital School of Nursing on August 13, 1962 and worked at Baroness Erlanger Hospital for 18 years before moving to Vero Beach, Fla. to be near her sister. While working at the Sebastian River Medical Center, she met the love of her life, Donald Slusher, M.D. They were married on March 18, 1982.Upon retirement in 1992, Jean and Don moved back to Tennessee, where she loved the land and the people. She was so happy to live on a farm in Decatur where she began to take in stray dogs and cats. They were her spoiled babies and will miss her very much. Jean attended Concord United Methodist Church and loved her minister, church family and friends in Decatur.Survivors include her husband, Donald Slusher, M.D.; her sister, Cynthia Peterson (Jim McKay) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; her niece, Judge Cynthia Cox (Mark Dellerman) of Vero Beach, Fla.; nephew, Andrew Cox, of Blairsville, Ga.; and nephew, Calvin Peterson (Nina), of Gainesville, Fla.; grandniece and nephew, Robert and Caleigh Cox, of Blairsville, Ga. Jean was very fond of Dons children, Lisa Callaway, David Slusher and (Amy), of Melbourne, Fla., and grandson, Joseph Callaway and (Emily) of Palm Bay, Fla.Visitation will be held from 6 until 7 p.m. Thursday, July 22, at Bowers Funeral Home, 163 Arrants Ave., Decatur, for friends with a brief memorial ceremony at 7 p.m. with Dr. Michael Johnson officiating.After the service, family will receive friends in the Social Hall at Bowers Funeral Home.In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hospice of Chattanooga, 4411 Oakwood Dr., Chattanooga, TN 37416, or to the Meigs County Humane Society, Decatur.Jean will be privately buried next to her mother, Elizabeth Carson Shelley, at Forest Hills Cemetery in Chattanooga, on Friday.Please go to www.bowersfh.com and sign the guest book and offer your condolences.Arrangements by Bowers Funeral Home, Decatur Chapel of Decatur, 423-334-3661.