EURITHA MIDDLETON SLOCE

NORTON, VA – Euritha Middleton Sloce. On a warm June, summer’s afternoon, as if the air’s humidity was saturated by her love and Grace permeating from above, Euritha Middleton Sloce reaped her reward for a life of unwavering devotion to God on Saturday, June 8, 2024. Although she left this worldly realm, and finally found company worthy of her presence amongst Heaven’s most righteous angels, her companionship here will be missed for lifetimes.

Euritha, better known by those who she most revered as Nene, was a Lee County, Virginia native. She was born Friday, May eleventh, in the year of our lord nineteen hundred and fifty-one, into a loving family who also sought to place Christ at the center of their life’s mission. Sprouting and sweetening through childhood, accompanied by 3 brothers, 2 sisters, and a loving ‘mommy and daddy’, nestled in the rolling hills of God’s country, learning lessons from the land and life, our Nene found her soulmate that she wed in nineteen sixty-seven, by the name Roger Dale Sloce.

This happy and ambitious young couple settled down in the City of Norton, where she worked to become the owner and operator of Wise Furniture and Eurtiha’s Gift Shoppe for nearly twenty-three years. Her shoppe, and the fine wares she purveyed, became and will ever last as an integral part of the city cultural fabric and iconic in the city’s legacy. Euritha and Roger for the past 29 years have pastored the Norton Pentecostal Church. She loved and was loved by all the members. She was a faithful and devoted Christian for the majority of her life. Her light radiated with love, compassion and kindness for everyone she met.

She was preceded in death by her parents Chester Middleton and Lilla Justine Middleton.

She is survived by her husband Roger Sloce, children David Sloce (Deby), and Rebecca "Becky" Sloce-Mullins, (Mark), as well as their grandchildren Emerald Sloce Stidham (Austin), Sia Sloce Cradic (Devin), and Sass Sloce Sheppard (David). Our Nene also leaves behind great-grandchildren Holland

Sloce and Piper Sheppard. She has a slew of children forever bound by marriage, Chris Mullins, Jackson Mullins, Macie Sheppard and Garrison Sheppard. She is also survived by her brothers Raymond Middleton, Larry Middleton, and Leonard Middleton, also her sisters Irene Duncan and Anna Fields, and a host of nieces and nephews.

Nene was one of the most selfless people to ever stride earth, in this humanly walk of life. She not only cared for every living being, but adopted this as life's core objective, to see to it other’s needs were met before her own. A master in the culinary art, if her world-class pastries wouldn’t touch one’s soul, her harmonically sweet voice singing a melody and soft touching embrace would surely melt any of life’s

worries away. Her most honorable and proudest accomplishment would be her family, as this was the central tenet of her being. She loved nothing more than having all that was her’s under one roof, as she’d break bread and entertain for hours on end. She was a skilled and adept games woman, having significant proficiency in any board game or deck of cards she cast her gaze upon, as any family member would attest. Questing for excellence in all she’d pursue, one hobby turned into profession, Nene could make any mundane or ordinary bit of rubbish shine as if it were a priceless relic, as her craftiness was truly in a league all its very own.

From the emptiness in our stomachs missing her holiday meals, only eclipsed by the vast crater left in our fundamental beings, we will mourn the loss of Nene for the rest of our days, until we’re reunited again in the kingdom of the one true God. Her granddaughter remarked, “it was as if she wanted to depart just in time for her Father’s birthday celebration in the clouds”, to see to it even Heaven’s angels were tended to in proper fashion. She was the model American citizen, follower of God, and family matriarch.

Graveside services will be held 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at Laurel Grove Cemetery. Rev. Darrell Bolling will officiate the service. Nephews and great nephews will serve as Pallbearers.

As a family, we’d like to recognize the tremendous care we received in our darkest hour, by the ICU nursing staff at Norton Community Hospital. Their compassion and love showered upon our beloved Nene as she transitioned into the next life, is a gratitude we can never repay.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Norton Pentecostal Church, P. O. Box 619, Norton, VA 24273.

Hagy & Fawbush Funeral Home of Norton, VA is in charge of the arrangements.