Weldon G. Slape was born to R. Wade and Shirley Dunwoody Slape in Longview, WA on December 4, 1952. He passed away unexpectedly on December 1, 2021 in Kennewick, WA. Weldon’s first years were spent in Longview, then Torrington, WY until the family moved to Kennewick, WA in 1958. He attended Fruitland Elementary, Park Jr. High and graduated from Kennewick High School in 1971. Upon graduation, Weldon and Eldon almost immediately received their Draft cards. In an effort to have some input into their military experience, they both decided to enlist in the Army. It was there that Weldon gained his first formal training in mechanics. He was proud to serve and enjoyed seeing different parts of the country and the world, making friends wherever he served, from Fort Lewis, WA to Korea, and many places in between. It was in Korea, where he met his wife, Sandy, and their first daughter Sara was born. Two years later, their daughter Stacey was born while stationed in Texas. After 8 years of honorable service, Weldon returned to civilian life in Kennewick where he proudly raised his daughters as a single father. To say he was a “good dad” is an understatement. His daughters and grandchildren are always happy to tell and share of all the ways that honor, character, and family were instilled into their cores with a profound unconditional love. Weldon had a lifelong love of country music, thanks to his Dad’s career in it. He enjoyed singing, playing guitar and swing dancing every chance he got. Weldon was known around town in his International Harvester. Many offers were made to buy that truck, but nothing amounted to the pride he felt each time he received a compliment. His love for making old things new and seeing the value in everything was a gift he shared with all around him. Good weather meant fishing with family and friends. Weldon loved to take his daughters and grandchildren on the water, making sure that they each baited their own hooks! Weldon “The Elder” and Eldon “The Welder” met daily for coffee at Denny’s, where they developed an extended family who shared in all the good and bad that life brought. He will be sorely missed by so many family and friends, but we know we will all be together again one day. Weldon is survived by his daughters, Sara and Stacey Slape, brothers Eldon, Kerry and Ryan Slape, sisters Terry (Nick) Drzayich and Sherry (Bob) Arnold, grandchildren Jesse Salazar and Leana Dickey, great-granddaughter Madyson Zambrana as well as many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.