Betty T. 'Betty Boop' Slaughter Storey, 86

DOVER - Betty T. "Betty Boop" Slaughter Storey, of Dover, passed away peacefully at Capitol Health Care surrounded by her family, staff and Vista Hospice. She had been a resident there for the past 10 years. She was 86. Betty was the daughter of Sarah A. Moore and Leroy Turner of Camden and daughter of Captain Bob Peterson of Bowers Beach. Betty was born on March 2, 1923, in Camden. She was a graduate of Caesar Rodney High School. Betty was a waitress and bartender for many, years at Sambo's Tavern in Leipsic and the Village Inn & Coral Reef in Little Creek. Prior to entering Capitol Health Care in January of 1999, Betty was the primary caregiver along with her late husband Ben to her granddaughters, Tracy Messina of Philadelphia and Leann Messina of Dover. Betty "Boop" will always be remembered for her loud and contagious laugh; everyone always knew when she was in a building with out ever seeing her! Having worked all her life in the food industry, and also with nine children, Betty was well known for many specialty dishes that she cooked, mainly "Muskrat"; she cooked this for her family regularly and especially for her sons, whenever they made it home on leave from duty. She is remembered lovingly by her children and grandchildren for taking care of those in need in the winter months and during the holidays even while struggling herself. She was always a very proud military Mother. Betty Boop was "short" in stature but very "tall" in heart. Betty was a member of the Smyrna Clayton Moose, Silver Lake Fishing Club, charter member of the Bowers Ladies Auxiliary, also a member of the Leipsic Volunteer Fire Company. She was preceded in death by her eldest son, Leroy Thornton "Buddy" Slaughter; grandson, Jason Wesley Slaughter of Garden Grove, Calif.; her first husband, the father of her children, Andrew Thornton Slaughter in 1977; and her husband, Benjamin F. Storey in 2000, both of Leipsic. Betty was also preceded in death by her sisters, Lorraine Moyer Griffith of Delaware, and Katherine Greenfield of Massachusetts; and two foster brothers, Charles and George Boone, previously of Bowers Beach. She is survived by her children, Wesley J. Slaughter and wife Kathy of Garden Grove, Calif., Martha Wilkinson, and Andrew M. Slaughter, both of Leipsic, James L. Slaughter and wife Betty of Florida, Becky Bedwell of Maryland, Judith Ernst and husband William of Dover, George B. Slaughter and wife Debra of Harrington, and Debby Messina of Dover; stepbrother, Bob and Hilda Peterson of Bowers Beach; 12 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Many thanks are sent from Debby, Judy, George and their families to the staff of Capitol Healthcare, her second family that took care of her with respect and dignity and treated her like she was royalty. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Betty's memory to the Delaware Alzheimer's Association or the Leipsic Volunteer Fire Company. Services will be 11 a.m. Friday, March 20 at the Trader Funeral Home, Lotus Street, Dover, where visitation will be one hour prior to services on Friday and from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 19. Interment in Lakeside Cemetery, North State Street, Dover. Letters of condolences may be sent to www.delmarvaobits.com or traderfh@aol.com.