David (Dave) M. Slaughter

David (Dave) Michael Slaughter, 64, passed away August 2, 2023, at his home from complications from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Dave was born December 6, 1958, in Des Moines, IA, to Melvin and Lorraine Slaughter. He grew up on a farm in Dallas Center, IA, and graduated as a National Merit Scholar from Dallas Community High School in 1977. He then moved to Storm Lake, IA, where he met his future wife Tara while working at Hy-Vee. He graduated from Buena Vista College in 1981 with a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Finance, and Banking. After graduation, he worked as a shift manager at Hy-Vee and then the State of Iowa as an auditor. Tara and he were married on June 13, 1987. Dave transitioned to working at Pioneer for 13 years before he ended his career at Wells Fargo, where he was an Analytics Consultant for 21 years.

Dave’s passions included bike riding, online simulation baseball, and playing card and board games. More than anything, though, he loved doing those things with his family: He would ride his bike hundreds (and some years thousands) of miles, often pulling his kids when they were younger and, more recently, Layla and Ellison in the parachute trailer. Dave also rode RAGBRAI as part of Team Megasoreass with his friend, Jim Roth every year, even braving the excessive heat the week preceding his death. He recruited Jennifer, Matthew, Nick, and Garrett to play in his baseball league, Nick to run Draft Central, and, back in the day, Daniel to be a spy on other drafters. Dave loved teaching his kids to play new games, including coaching his kids in youth soccer, sharing his love of baseball (especially the Brewers), and long nights of Settlers of Catan, Blokus, and Pitch, which were a focal point of family gatherings. He also always made time to go to every one of his kids’ sporting events, even traveling to Nick’s college track meets and Elizabeth’s high school and college volleyball tournaments far from home. He took pride in being a grandpa to Layla and Ellison’s papa.

Dave is survived by his wife, Tara (Olson) Slaughter; his five children, Jennifer Slaughter (Samantha), Matthew Slaughter (Alexandra), Elizabeth Gobble (Garrett), Nick Slaughter (Kirstin), and Daniel; two granddaughters, Layla Slaughter and Ellison Gobble; one grandson due to be born in December 2023; sister, Carol Chebuhar (Ken); and brothers, Brian Slaughter (Juanita), Craig Slaughter (Melissa), and Scott Slaughter (Todd).

He was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother Larry.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, August 10, 2023 at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, IA with services following at 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 11 at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Parkway in West Des Moines, IA.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Dave’s honor to the ALS Association. ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, robs people of the ability to walk, talk and eventually breathe. Dave was diagnosed with familial ALS in June 2022, and your contribution will help support people who have ALS and spread awareness of the urgency to find treatments and a cure. Family and friends of Dave can join his team, The Trike Zone, to participate in person or virtually in the Walk to Defeat ALS at the Jordan Creek Town Center on October 7, 2023.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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