Frederick Slater Former Laguna Beach resident...

Frederick Slater

Former Laguna Beach resident Frederick “Rickey” Slater died Nov.

26 in Corona. He was 68.

Not everyone in Laguna Beach knew Mr. Slater’s name, but his was a

familiar face. He attended the meetings of almost every council,

committee, board and commission and took copious notes. He delivered

the Laguna Beach Coastline News for years, trundling it around

Downtown in a shopping cart. He ran for City Council on numerous

occasions and served on the city’s Affordable Housing and Human

Affairs Committee.

Mr. Slater was born Aug. 29, 1934 in East Los Angeles. His family

moved when he was 5 to Montebello. Mr. Slater moved to Laguna Beach

in the 1970s. He worked at Village Faire and Ruby’s Diner.

His health declined. The Sandies helped him secure an income from

Social Security.

Mr. Slater lived with Betty Swenson and City Clerk Verna Rollinger

the last four years he spent in Laguna, family members said.

His health continued to deteriorate, and three years ago he moved

to Lake Elsinore to be closer to his sister. Mr. Slater became active

in community affairs there until he suffered a massive heart attack.

He is survived by sisters Carla Tryon, Marina Wolfgram and Loretta

Liersch; brother Eric Slater and 11 nieces and nephews.

“Everybody loved Rickey,” Tryon said.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 13 at Riverside

National Cemetery in Riverside. Donations to Friendship Shelter in

Laguna Beach may be made in lieu of flowers.

-- Barbara Diamond