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July 28, 2008
Eileen Slocum Passes Away
ProJo's 7 to 7 reports that "Grande Dame" of the RIGOP Eileen Slocum has passed away:
Eileen Slocum, grande dame of Newport society and a nationally known Republican Party advocate and fundraiser, died yesterday at Newport Hospital, according to her son. She was 92.R.I.P.Slocum, who hosted fundraisers in her Bellevue Avenue mansion and opened her gardens, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, to the public, was a doyenne of both Newport social life and the National Republican Party.
"I think she was a great supporter of Rhode Island," her son, Jerry Slocum said. "And a great promoter of Rhode Island."
Slocum worked for the GOP on many different levels, from presiding over the Newport Women's Republican Club to being the the party's national committeewoman until her resignation earlier this summer.
She regularly attended the Republican National Convention.
And even in her 93rd year, he said, "she had been planning earlier this year ... looking forward to going to Minnesota."
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I guess Steve Laffey was right.
Unpopular as this will be, this is a good day to be a member of the RIGOP. An obstructionist of the highest level has shuffled off this mortal coil and will push the party to the Left no longer.
Posted by: Greg at July 28, 2008 2:54 PMCan't wait for the Phillippe and Jorge tribute, particularly after the story Chip Young told awhile back about one of his Save the Bay interns who brought an African-American friend to Bailey's Beach (and the reaming out Jurassic Spice gave Chip the following Monday after seeing one of THOSE people in the dining room).
Posted by: rhody at July 28, 2008 3:00 PMA lefty? Maybe by 1850s South Carolina standards.
If nothing else, the recent Democrat primary season should have taught you that racism is alive and well in the Democrat Party, Rhody.
Posted by: Greg at July 28, 2008 3:02 PMRacism's alive in the whole nation. It transcends party. The connected (in more ways than one) dude in North Providence and the Kentucky hillbilly can bond over their determination to keep a non-Caucasian out of the White House.
Posted by: rhody at July 28, 2008 4:23 PMI'm not exactly sure I'd consider Eileen Slocum some kind of leftist. Have you actually ever spoken with her? I have, and if you know where she stood on issues, I think you'd take back a lot of what you said.
Of course, she was certainly a blue blood. Yeah, she was a nominal Chafee supporter (more of John than of Linc), you also have to keep in mind that she was actually related to them, and had know Linc since he was born. Family considerations usually come before other ones.
Anyway, she was literally living history and will be missed by a lot of people, including myself. They really don't make them like that anymore. Up until this past year, when a series of strokes left her in poor health, she was still as active as a nonagenarian can be, and had a pretty good grasp of what was going on -- she certainly had a memory. I always enjoyed her recollections, especially those of a political nature. She was a very early supporter of Ronald Reagan (and if you watch some old Reagan footage, you can actually see her). I'm glad for the opportunity to have interacted with such a person.
Posted by: Will at July 28, 2008 4:30 PMGreg,
Nice post!
Posted by: Tim at July 28, 2008 5:01 PMCan see why Laffey turns you on so. You're as classless and crass as he is.
Tim,
Nice Post!
Posted by: Rasputin at July 28, 2008 9:53 PMYou take the opportunity to insult a guy who didn't provoke you and isn't even a part of this conversation. Seems pretty "classless and crass" to me.
Tim,
Nice Post!
Posted by: Rasputin at July 28, 2008 9:53 PMYou take the opportunity to insult a guy who didn't provoke you and isn't even a part of this conversation. Seems pretty "classless and crass" to me.
It's troubling that politics supercede all else in response to a simple post of someone's death.
Posted by: Phil at July 28, 2008 10:18 PMEileen Slocum was very generous and gracious --and most of all --she had alot of class. Some of the above posters on this blog could learn something from her. Let's pay tribute to her for those great qualities.
I have fond memories of visting her extraordinary Bellevue Avenue home as a guest for GOP events.
Posted by: Citizen Critic at July 28, 2008 11:59 PMHi!
Posted by: Scott Bill Hirst at July 29, 2008 5:54 PMEileen was an outstanding lady and not a snob. She was a caring person depite in the social world she lived. Like Will I will miss her!
Her death is a great loss for the RI GOP and her family.She was staunchly pro-life hardly known as a liberal position.
She ran for State Rep. at least once and her son a couple of times for U.S. Rep.Her grandson also ran in Newport area.
Eileen was kind,loyal, and generous to the GOP. I voted for Laffey in 2006 and don't apologize for it.
My biggest concern for the RI GOP is post Carcieri in January, 2011,.
Regards,
Scott