Anne Beane Slater

Anne Beane Slater, 81, passed on October 25 at home, while in Hospice care for cancer. She was the daughter of Harold and Martha Beane and was born in Rockville, Maryland, on July 30, 1943. She was the wife of Thomas G. Slater. They have been married for 58 years. She was the rock of the family and definitely “the Boss” and “Gram” to her beloved grandchildren. She was a perfect combination of the traditional woman and the modern feminist. She graduated first in her class at Richard Montgomery High School in 1961, but had to fight for that distinction after the family of the male who was ranked second argued that he would benefit more than a female would by having the distinction of being first in his class. She attended and graduated from Frostburg State Teachers College (now University) where she was active in Alpha Xi Delta Sorority and was the imposing treasurer of the student government. Alas, she finished second in her graduating class, but this time to a female. It was at Frostburg where she met and fell in love with Tom. After graduating from Frostburg, she attended the University of Colorado in Boulder and received an M.A. degree in American Literature. The male English professor who wrote her a strong recommendation for admittance to graduate school told her that he hoped she understood that by going to graduate school she probably would be depriving a deserving male student from getting into graduate school. She and Tom moved to Frederick in 1966, and Anne was hired to teach at the new Thomas Johnson High school where she taught English for two years until she was informed that, because she was pregnant, she would have to retire. A stay-at-home Mom for about six years, but always working side jobs such as teaching evening high school and grading papers for a high school English teacher in Montgomery County, she resumed her teaching career at Brunswick High School and was an adjunct teacher of English at Frederick Community College. Offered a full-time teaching position at FCC at less salary than she was making at Brunswick High School, she held out for at least as much compensation as she was making as a high school teacher and was hired as a full- time professor of English. She was a legend at FCC for the attention to the needs of students, her demand for excellence and her fierce devotion to her job. She served as department chair and evaluated all of the incoming students as to whether they needed to take additional English instruction before enrolling in English 101. She was a force to be reckoned with. She taught at FCC for more than 30 years and was recognized as an emeritus professor upon her retirement in 2010. After retirement she greatly enjoyed her weekly luncheons with some of her colleagues who had also retired from FCC. She was a reluctant traveler (too much money, too much time away from family) but always went along with Tom’s wanderlust, and together they traveled to every state in the U.S.A. except Hawaii, almost all of Europe, most of the Caribbean and Central America, Venezuela, Columbia, Iceland and Morocco frequently on cruises and tours. She even put up with Tom’s obsession with attempting to visit and photograph all of the U.S. President’s birthplaces, death-sites, and burial sites. She and Tom, in many respects, were opposites, but shared a love for reading, movies, theatre, the Orioles and politics (she liked to be well informed and shared Tom’s strong Democratic convictions, but did not enjoy active participation). Most of all Anne loved family and had a strong Christian faith. For many years she attended St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Pt. of Rocks, where she served in many capacities. To Anne family was everything and she was a demanding but loving mother (no one used bad grammar in her presence without a strong admonition from her) to Stephen and wife Alexis, Stacy and husband Juan, and Mark and wife Barbara. She was a loved older sister to her bother Bob and his wife Wanda, and her sister Becky as well as a devoted aunt to her nephew Michael and wife Beth. “Gram” was proud and protective of all of her seven grandchildren (Maddie, Aidan, Elena, Emily, Garrett, Sophia and Julianne) who range in age from 3 to 24. She was always available for advice and to hear of their latest accomplishments. The family will receive friends from 4pm to 7pm, on Friday, November 1, 2024 at the Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, 106 E. Church Street, Frederick. The funeral service will be held at 11am, on Saturday, November 2, 2024 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1914 Ballenger Creek Pike, Point of Rocks. Interment will follow at the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Frederick Community College Foundation, Inc.