Bobbie Lou Sluder Williams, 85, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, June 15th, 2024. She passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family while one of her favorite Phil Wickham songs, House of the Lord, was playing. She had been battling with end stage kidney disease and dialysis since September of last year. In April of this year she decided to stop dialysis and said she wanted “quality over quantity”. Through all of this her faith and trust in God never wavered.
She was predeceased by her mother, Irene Sluder; her father, Oscar Sluder; her brother, Ray Sluder; her granddaughter, Kari Jellema; her son-in-law, Ronnie Rice; and her previous spouse, William (Bill) Russell who was her daughter’s father.
Bobbie was born in 1939 in the mountains of Creston, NC in Ashe County. She was raised in West Jefferson, NC as a Methodist where her foundation with the Lord began. After graduating high school she moved to Baltimore, MD where she worked as an office administrator and occasional model for Westinghouse. She then worked for Sears until having her second daughter and becoming a stay at home mom. She lived in Maryland for several years, then moved with her husband’s job to South Carolina, South Florida, and back to North Carolina. She went back to work for Sears while in Florida until she retired. After retiring from her management position, she was asked to help remodel and open two Sears stores. Those who knew her knew she was not one to sit idol so she began her second career working at Earth Fare in food service, retiring from there at age 79 after 15 years. She took care of her mom for 20 years until her mom passed at 97 years old.
Bobbie was an avid gardener who loved her flowers and plants and had a green thumb. Wherever she lived she had a beautiful yard and garden. It gave her great joy to see God’s beauty.
After selling her house to downsize, she moved in with her daughter Cheryl with the intention of purchasing a smaller home. After visiting her daughter Lynn and husband Shane at Lake James Landing Campground, she decided to purchase a camper instead of a house. During her time at the campground she enjoyed playing bingo (and winning), the bands they had on special weekends, riding around on the golf cart, sitting on her porch watching tv, the fish fries, dinners every Saturday with friends, spending time with family, and even riding on the boat although she couldn’t swim. She loved all the friends she met while there and enjoyed cooking different recipes to try out on us. Every Saturday night meal at the campground they wanted to know what she was bringing because even if they didn’t know what it was, it was always good. There was a special restaurant she liked to go to while at the lake in Marion called Bruce’s Fabulous Foods. She loved the food and the people and they loved her back.
Bobbie was a member of Crossroads Church for the last 22 years. She loved her church and her church family and was a member of the women’s ministry board, active in ladies bible studies, attended and hosted small care groups, loved and supported missions, the worship team as well as the youth. She was always giving to help spread the gospel. She believed in being obedient to God in giving when He placed it so strongly on her heart. We are greatly comforted knowing she is completely healed and in heaven with Jesus. We will see her again one day.
She is survived by her three daughters, Lynn Frady and her husband Shane; Cheryl Rice; and Ricci Fender and her husband Mark; all of Fletcher, NC; three grandchildren, Steven Bugg and his wife Anjely; Brandon Russell and his wife Saleena; Tiffany Anderson and her husband Scott. Two great grandsons, Liam and Owen Russell who called her Gigi; and many adopted great grandchildren who called her grandma; her brother Clay Sluder and his wife Pam; her sister-in-law Pat Sluder; her nephew Anthony Sluder; her nephew Jeff Sluder and his wife Catherine; and several cousins that she enjoyed spending time with.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00pm, Saturday, June 29th, 2024 at Crossroads Church, 20 South Bear Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28806, officiated by Pastor Mike Brown and Pastor Wade Zachary. A visitation for family and friends will be from 1:00pm to 2:00pm at the church.
Flowers and condolence cards can be sent to the family in care of the church at 20 South Bear Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28806.
Memorial donations can be made to Crossroads Church.
We would like to thank Jackson Funeral Service for assisting the family during this time.