Emile Sliman

Emile John Sliman, Sr., loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and uncle went to heaven to be with our Lord on February 8th at the age of 90. Emile was born on September 10th to Julia Farris and George John Sliman in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He married the love of his life, Joan Irene (Dunne) Sliman on February 26th, 1956 and they would have celebrated their 65th anniversary this year.
Emile attended Oakdale High School and graduated in 1948. While at Oakdale he played football and was named the MVP. He attended LSU and was in the ROTC for 4 years. Emile also served in the Korean War and served at Fort Benning Georgia and Argentia Naval Base in St John’s Newfoundland, Canada where he met his wife Joan. He said It only took one look and he knew she was the one he would marry. If you knew Emile, you knew that his devotion to his wife was enormous and they had a true romance. From the day they met and later as they started a family, Joan’s happiness and his family were everything to him.
Emile and his wife Joan had their own business in Oakdale Louisiana, Sliman’s Shoe Store. He later worked for Holsum Bakery in Louisiana and opened his own retail business in Mobile. He resided in Oakdale, Louisiana; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; New Orleans, Louisiana and for the last 49 years in Mobile, Alabama. Emile loved the New Orleans Saints and LSU football teams. He knew all the players, spoke with them every Saturday and Sunday from his family room and was their most avid fan. I am sure he didn’t miss one game throughout his life, and he passed this love of the game on to his children. He loved the outdoors, camping, boating, fishing, cooking, and spending time with family. There were numerous camping trips all the way to Newfoundland, Canada which instilled in his children the love for travel and adventure. Throughout the years he continued to enjoy the beach, travel, family gatherings and family adventures. He loved to play dominoes with family, listen to music, lemon meringue pie and walks on the beach. He loved his dogs Tiger, Lilly and Charlie. Emile was a strong, wonderful man who would do anything to help others. He was known for his kind and compassionate spirit and his faith and family were the most important things in his life. He attended church at St. Dominic Catholic Church.
Emile is preceded in death by his parents, Julia and George John Sliman; his brothers James Sliman and Bill Sliman; his sister Gloria Sliman Meek and brother-in-law Wesley; great son-in-law Christopher Cubley; and two great grandchildren Sarah and Christopher Cubley Jr.
There are many family members and friends who are left to cherish and honor Emile’s memory. His children, Julie Sliman Ellzey and her husband Wayne of Mobile, Alabama; Anna Sliman Moore and her husband Allen of Mobile, Alabama; Paula Sliman O’Hearn and her husband Stephen of Mobile, Alabama; Elizabeth Sliman Fillingim of Mobile, Alabama; and Emile Sliman, Jr., and his wife Misty of Daphne, Alabama.  He is survived by adoring grandchildren David Ellzey (Kristy), Michael Ellzey (Jessica), Jessica Ellzey Cubley, Scott Ellzey (Shannon), Jonathan Ellzey (Shonda), Mary Moore Dobson (Park), Christopher O’Hearn (Katie), Madison O’Hearn, John Tyler Fillingim, Shelby Sliman and Logan Sliman. He is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren who loved him dearly: Amber, Ashton, Andon, Jennifer, Michael Jr., Brayleigh, Riley, Bryce, Zoe, Zachary, Zia, Christopher, Benjamin, and the upcoming birth of his new grandchild. Emile is also survived by his loving siblings; his brother Ernest Sliman and his wife Jeanne of Mobile, Alabama; his sister Linda Sliman Surdyke and her husband Gary of Festus, Missouri and numerous adored nieces and nephews.
The family asks that you please wear masks to adhere to guidelines in-place. Visitation will be held on Friday February 12th from 4:00pm until 6:00pm with the rosary at 3:30pm. Visitation will be held at Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, 6040 Three Notch Rd, Mobile, AL.  Mass will be held on Saturday, February 13th at 11:00am at St Dominic Catholic Church, 4156 Burma Rd, Mobile, AL. Burial will immediately follow at Memorial Gardens.