Mary Helen (Bell) Slinger of Priest River, Idaho passed August 20th, 2020 from a heart attack at the age of 87.  She was born August 19th, 1933 to Willis and Ruth (Gardner) Bell in Nashoba, Oklahoma joining her brother Virgil and sister Ellen with a younger sister Ulita (Jackie) coming three years later.

Growing up during the great depression, Mary's Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles (along with all their children) found it necessary to move from Oklahoma to Santa Anna, California to search for work.  Her older sister, Ellen, referred to that move as being like "The Grapes of Wrath" because of their large caravan and camping along the way.  With not having meat for several days the best meal was when Mary's mother, Ruth, negotiated two chickens from a local farmer for the entire group to share.

In 1938 another sister, Doris, was born and soon after the family moved to Mt. Hebron in northern California.  Approximately three years later they made another long move north to Priest River, Idaho purchasing 148 acres in the Freeman Lake Area.  Her youngest sister, Virginia, (who always said "Daddy saved the best for last") was born in Newport, WA February 1950.  Having family in the Klammath Falls, Oregon area Mary spent time with her Aunt Clemmie during which time she met Richard Slinger at a dance.  Mary and Richard were married December 16th, 1950 and had two sons, Jerry (1953) and Steve (1955), who were both born in Klammath Falls, Oregon prior to moving Priest River.  In 1958 Mary lost her mother in a car accident after which time her father decided to move back to the Mt Hebron area.  Mary and Richard purchased the Freeman Lake family farm from her father buying additional acreage during their marriage.

In addition to helping Richard with Slinger Logging, Mary completed beauty school with her sister-in-law (Anna Mae Burns) in Sandpoint, Idaho in the early 70's.  After a short time working at a salon in Priest River, she opened her own business (Mary's Beauty Salon) on Hwy 41 about a mile out of Newport which she operated until she retired.  Being a beautician was a great fit for Mary.  In addition to being good at what she did, she was easy to visit with, always had a great joke or 10 to share, and was just fun to be around.  Mary stayed very active bowling on one or two leagues per week for 30+ years;  was an active member of the Priest River Lioness Club including the Red Hats; played on numerous golf leagues;  was an active member at the Senior Citizen Organization (Happy Agers) and was a member of the Newport Eagles for 40+ years. Mary always had a great time visiting the casinos or playing cards and dice with family and friends.  She loved playing Skip-Bo, Cribbage, 10,000 (dice), to name a few and enjoyed getting together weekly to play cards with a special group of friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Willis and Ruth Bell; Ex-Husband Richard (Dick) Slinger; Son Jerry Allan Slinger; Brother Virgil Bell; Sister Ulita (Jackie) Bell; Companion of many years Roy (Buz) Clark; Brother and sister-in-law Tom and Anna Mae Burns; dearest friends Leona Zimmer and Lorraine Troudt.

Mary is survived by one son Steven Warren (Cathy) Slinger of Cataldo, Idaho; Sisters Ellen Blyth of Anaheim, CA, Doris (Lefty) Hand of Anderson, CA, Virginia Arnold of Mission Viejo, CA; cousin Donna Cobb of Priest River; Grandchildren Jason (Demarie) Slinger of Priest River, Eric Slinger of Newport, Aimee (Robert) Kitchen-Rousey of Spokane, Nickolas Pettit of Oregon, Stevie (Jenn) Slinger of Athol, ID, Valerie Slinger of Coeur D' Alene; 12 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend appreciation to some of Mary's treasured friends whom she always felt was family:  Shirley (Van Belle) Huson, God daughter Pam (Van Belle) Gumaer, Patty (Slinger-Ritter) Biss, Traci (Burns) Olson, Jackie (Zimmer)Taylor and give a special thank you to Karen and Theresa Zimmer for the love, care, and friendship they gave to Mary.

Please join us in a celebration of Mary's life at the Priest River event center at 12:00 noon Saturday, September 26th, 2020 with a potluck luncheon to follow.

Sherman-Campbell Funeral & Cremation Services in Newport is in charge of arrangements.  Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at shermancampbell.com.