Pastor Marvin Roscoe Slagle

Published 12:19 pm Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Pastor Marvin Roscoe Slagle, age 76, went home to be with his Lord on March 22, 2025. Marvin was born in Opelika, Alabama, to the late Ralph Newton Slagle and Mary Martha (Davis) Slagle on Dec. 27, 1948. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandson, Perry Pearson.

Pastor Slagle was ordained as a licensed minister in 1970. He was ordained as a bishop in 1976 and served for the Church of God of Prophecy. He was the senior pastor for 33 years at Heartland Fellowship Church, Elizabethton, Tenn., and senior chaplain at Sycamore Shoals Hospital in Elizabethton, Tenn. Marvin started his ministry as a lay minister in Hobart, Ind., at the age of 16. A short time after attending Bible Training Institute in Cleveland, Tenn., Pastor Slagle accepted his first pastorate in Isabel, S.D. Following that position, he pastored in Bozoo, W.Va.; Chapmanville, W.Va.; and Benton Harbor, Mich. In West Virginia, he directed the organization’s state youth camps for six years, as well as being a district overseer of several churches.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 55 years, Sara, of Johnson City, Tenn.; his daughter, Rachel (Slagle) Pearson and husband, Craig, of Gilbert, Ariz.; his son, Kevin Slagle and wife, Kim, of Elkhart, Ind.; his grandchildren, Rayanna Pearson, Jonas Pearson and Riley Slagle; his sister, Deborah (Slagle) Szymanski; his nieces, Angela Smith and Nichole (Smith) Heck; and his church families through the years.

The family will receive friends between the hours of 5 to 7 p.m., with the funeral to follow at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at Heartland Fellowship Church, Elizabethton, with Pastor Terry Barnwell officiating. Music will be under the direction of the church. Those wishing to view the service via livestream may do so by visiting the Heartland Fellowship Church Facebook page and following the link.

The graveside service and interment will be at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 28, 2025, in Washington County Memory Gardens, Johnson City, officiated by Pastor Tim Hartley. Active pallbearers will be Kevin Slagle, Craig Pearson, Jonas Pearson, Jonathan Heck, Steve Bales, Darrell Reece, D.J. Reece and Noah Lowe. Honorary pallbearers will be Lester Bennett, Mike Odom, Kelsey Ramey, Allen Johnson and Ed Cook. Those wishing to be a part of this service are asked to meet at the cemetery no later than 2:50 p.m.

A luncheon to celebrate 55 years of ministry and Marvin’s retirement will be on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Heartland Fellowship Church, Elizabethton. All attendees will have an opportunity and will be welcome to share during this dinner.

Marvin was able to share many more years of life with his family and friends thanks to the generosity of Alisha Pritchard’s kidney donation. His compassion continued following his death as he saved and healed the lives of others through eye and tissue donation. In lieu of flowers, financial contributions can be made to Donate Life America at DonateLife.net/Contribute or by mailing a check to Donate Life America at 5516 Falmouth St., Suite 302, Richmond, VA 23230. You can learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation and register your decision to be a donor at DonateLife.net.

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
— 2 Timothy 4:6–7 (KJV)

Words of sympathy may be shared with the family by visiting our website at www.tetrickfuneralhome.com. Tetrick Funeral Home of Elizabethton is honored to serve the Slagle family. Office phone: (423) 542-2232.