Beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend Paul Slack went home to be with his Lord on the morning of May 23, 2026, at his house in Oakley, UT, surrounded by loving family. He lived a full and extraordinary life of almost 94 years.
Paul was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1932. He was the youngest of three siblings each born ten years apart, making him a “surprise baby.” In his earliest memory, he was standing on the sidewalk and the neighbor asked his name. He decidedly replied, “I’m Cowboy Jones.” In the last years of his life and on his hospice bed, he looked out at the horses in his backyard in Oakley, Utah. He was always a cowboy.
Paul was an All-American high school and collegiate swimmer and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1955. He had a long and storied career in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a one-star Brigadier General in 1986. He was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action, as well as the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in the combat zone. From 1971 to 1973, he served as a military attaché in the White House and was awarded the Legion of Merit.
After retiring from the Marines, Paul fulfilled a lifelong dream of moving to Utah, where he served as Senior Vice President for Iomega Corp in Ogden. He also served nearly 10 years as a Trustee for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and on the Board of the National Ability Center. For 16 years he taught courses on the military-industrial complex and national security at the University of Utah and served as Chair of the University’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Advisory Board.
Paul loved Utah from the time he was a young man, and he loved horses and Westerns. He was a beloved member of his community in Park City and later Oakley, and a devoted member of his church, St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Park City. Paul was a loyal and caring friend, evidenced in the astounding number of phone calls and visitors he received in his last days. Paul leaves behind his daughter Lori (Tom), four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and his partner Elsbeth Gugi, all of whom will miss him tremendously.
A vigil will be held on Thursday, June 11, 2026 from 6:00 until 8:00 PM at St Mary’s Old Town Chapel, 121 Park Ave, Park City, Utah. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, June 12, 2026 at 12:00 Noon at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1505 White Pine Canyon Rd, Park City, Utah. He will be laid to rest with honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Toys for Tots.
