Bobby Joe Slaughter

Colors are Red and Black

His Legacy

Bobby Joe Slaughter was born on February 16, 1942, in McCrory, Arkansas, to Jake Flake and Lorene Matten. He attended elementary and secondary school in Woodruff County, where his earliest experiences helped shape the man he would become.

As the second oldest of twelve siblings, Bobby Joe was blessed to grow up in the warmth and companionship of a large, loving family. He shared an especially precious bond with his grandmother, lovingly known as Mama Sally, whose place in his heart remained dear throughout his life. During his years in Kansas City, Missouri, he stayed close to his aunts and uncles, cherishing them not only as extended family but as brothers and sisters.

His childhood also taught him the value of hard work and caring for others. He worked in the rice fields, picked cotton, and faithfully cared for the animals on his family’s farm. Later, as a grocery store clerk, he continued to be known for the same dedication and dependable spirit that had been part of him since childhood.

Bobby Joe later moved to Chicago, Illinois, with his sister Annie Mae and his aunt Alice. A devoted and nurturing family man, he helped raise his cousins Roy Lynn, Joyce, Debbie, Loretta, Lisa, and Pam, who lovingly called him Uncle Bobby Joe.

During his years in the Chicago area, Bobby Joe began courting Dianna with sincerity, and a steadfast devotion that defined him. Their love grew into a lasting partnership, and after they married, he wholeheartedly embraced her two children, raising and loving them as his own. Together, Bobby Joe and Dianna welcomed two more children and built a close-knit family grounded in love, faith, and cherished memories. They eventually made their home in University Park, Illinois, where Bobby Joe became a member of First Baptist Church of University Park and faithfully served as an usher, greeter, and Yokefellow. With his bright smile, warm hugs, and joyful spirit, he made everyone feel genuinely welcomed and loved.

Bobby Joe was regarded as a pillar of the University Park community. Like his family, most people affectionately knew him as BBQ Bob because he was an amazing grill master who fed everyone. Though a man of few words, he was always present—not only in the lives of his own children, but also for every child and teenager who crossed his path. He shared words of wisdom when they were needed and, above all, led by example. He would often say, “Ain’t nothing to it but to do it” or “Live and let live,” and most people understood the message.

Bobby Joe served as a maintenance foreman at the Time & Life Building in downtown Chicago, devoting 42 years to his career before retiring. In retirement, he relocated first to Florida and later to Texas. Years later, he danced all the way to Monee, Illinois to be closer to his grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Lorene Matten-Prunty; his father, Jake Flake; his grandmother, Sally Mae Slaughter; his sister, Annie Mae Prunty; his aunt, whom he regarded as a sister, Alice Marie Richard-Bey; and his brothers, Hubert, Johnny Prunty Jr., Jerry Prunty, and Edward T. Prunty.

He leaves to cherish his memory his loving and devoted wife, Dianna Slaughter; his children, Nathan Wilhight, Tiffany Thomas (Gregory), Robert Slaughter (Josie), and Jennifer Slaughter-Roberts (Richard); and his goddaughter, Kristal Armstrong (Gregory A.).

He is also survived by his uncle, Roosevelt Slaughter; his sisters, Lois T. Andrews (John), and Pearletha Prunty; and his brothers, Jerome Prunty, Henry Louis Prunty (Virginia),Floyd Prunty, and David Prunty.

Bobby Joe may have taken his final bow on Earth September 16, 2026, but the music, laughter, and love he brought into the world will keep on dancing through his wonderful grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends, and every life he touched. His dancing shoes leave behind a joyful legacy that will never miss a beat.