James Marvin “Pard” Slade March 29, 1942 ~ January 8, 2023

James Marvin “Pard” Slade was called back to his heavenly home on Sunday, January 8, 2023, at the age of 80.

Pard was born on March 29, 1942, to James Burdwell and Freda Wiltbank Slade. He was born and raised in Eagar, AZ, along with his older sisters Mae and Kae, and his younger brothers Joe and Kenny. He also had two siblings Sadie and James, who died as infants.

Pard had a happy childhood. He grew up around a lot of animals and a lot of extended family.  He learned early on how to work hard. His family always had horses and cows and one of his chores was to milk the cows early in the morning. He also learned how to run heavy equipment while working alongside his father who was skilled in road construction.  Pard said he knew how to run some pretty big machines before he was seven years old. The nickname Pard is short for “Little Pardner,” which is what his dad called him early on as they worked side by side. This stuck and is what most people would call him throughout his life.

His teen years were spent working around horses and getting into mischief once in a while. A few times he told his family about the time he and some friends trapped a bull in the high school gym. The animal was discovered the next morning when everyone showed up for school. The summer of his 17th year, he got to live in a camp in New Mexico and work as a cow hand, which he loved. He graduated from Round Valley High School in 1960. When he was 18, he was called to serve in the LDS Western Canadian Mission. While serving for two years as a missionary, he made some good friends and later took his family on vacations to Canada.

It was at a country western dance in Springerville, AZ, where Pard met Sandra, the love of his life.  He asked her to dance and three months later they were married in the LDS Mesa Arizona Temple. A few years later, they were blessed to adopt their daughter Samantha. Not quite two years after that they adopted Nannette, and their family was complete. Pard and Sandra would spend the next 59 years together and their daughters were always in the forefront of their minds and a top priority. Pard was a very dedicated and loving father.

To earn money to provide for his family, Pard gained many skills as he worked in different capacities throughout his life. When he was first married they lived in Show Low, and he worked for the Arizona Department of Forestry using heavy equipment to fight fires. They then moved to Holbrook and he worked for the Arizona Highway Department. In 1979, he moved his family to Monticello, UT and worked at Energy Fuels and also did a lot of work as a truck driver. Pard later would retire as an employee of the City of Monticello, where he worked for well over a decade.

Pard’s true passion in life was working with horses and cows. As a young man he even earned a rodeo scholarship to Arizona State University. His specialty was roping. He decided the school part wasn’t nearly as fun as the rodeo part, however, and he decided to put his full focus there in a less formal manner. He acquired many large animal veterinary skills throughout his life and gained much satisfaction through working with livestock.

Pard was a life-long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served willingly in many callings during his lifetime and loved to study, share and talk about the gospel.

Besides the immense love he had for his family, his faith and his farm animals, Pard loved all people in general. He was not happy unless he could interact with and really get to know all who were around him. He was truly a man who never met a stranger.  In his later years, he became famous for being “The Candy Man” around Monticello. When kids saw his red truck, they ran to get a treat from him. Sandra, his constant sidekick in the truck, helped hand out the candy as they drove around town and chatted with everyone along the way. He had a special ability to make others feel loved and would do anything for anyone. He loved to give. Pard was always ready with a joke and was a well-known tease. He will be missed tremendously by his family and friends.

Pard is survived by his spouse Sandra, children Samantha (Corey) Randolph of Monticello, UT, and Nannette Shayne (Frank) Nolden of Conyers, GA, 14 grandchildren, and 23 great-grandchildren (with two more “in the chute”).

He is preceded in death by his parents and sisters Yevonne Kae Estes and Laura Mae McInnes.

A funeral and graveside service were held in Pard’s honor on Saturday, January 14 at the Monticello LDS Stake Center and the Monticello Cemetery, where he was laid to rest.

Pard’s family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the family and friends who have gone out of their way to show support and love as they have grieved the loss of their husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather.