Horace "Hoss" Slate, known to everyone as Poppy, was born at home in Cross Cut on Jan. 9, 1941, to L.M. and Faye Slate. He went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Sunday, June 24, 2018 under the care of Hospice of Midland.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Stacey and Patrick Orem of Midland and their five children; daughter and son-in-law, Jeannie and Fritz Beierle of Washington State and their three children; son and daughter-in-law, Mackey and Melissa Slate of Midland and their three children; son and daughter-in-law, Chuck and Glenda Slate of Midland and their three children; and son, Stephen Slate of Midland and his three children. Poppy also has 18 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his father and mother, L.M. and Faye Slate of Brownwood; wife, Linda Sharp Slate of McCamey; father-in-law, O.R. "Dude" Sharp of Midland; sister and brother-in-law, Margie and Mike Miller of Brownwood; nephew, Michael Miller Jr. of Brownwood; granddaughter, Kandyce Michelle Nettles of Breckenridge.

Poppy attended Midland High School until his senior year when he was called to active duty with the Marine Corps, where he served as an M.P. in the Korean War. 

He married the love of his life, Linda Sharp, in March 1964 and they had four children, Stacey, Mackey, Chuck and Stephen. In 1981 they adopted their fifth child, Jeannie. 

While raising his children, Poppy worked in Odessa for Dunigan Tool and Supply Company, later known as Sun Oil, and was transferred to Breckenridge in 1978. After retiring from Sun Oil, he and his wife, Linda, moved to McCamey to own and manage Benoit's Restaurant until Linda's stroke in 1986. At that point, they relocated back to Midland for her rehabilitation. 

Poppy coached his boys in Little League baseball during the early ‘80s in Breckenridge then went on to coach his grandsons, Tyler, Chris and Jeremy alongside his son-in-law, Patrick Orem in Midland in the mid to late ‘90s. After his great-grandson Darius was born he helped Patrick, Tyler, coach him in the early 2000s. He loved sports so much that he continued with softball and helped Stacey and Patrick coach his granddaughter, Kourtnie.

Poppy was an avid bowler, bowling in Odessa at Busby’s, known now as Diamond Lanes. He continued bowling at Cactus Lanes in Midland with his family until his stroke in 2010.

He was a member of Citizens on Patrol in Midland, working alongside his best friend, the late Corps officer David Glenn. He was a member of the VFW Post at Thunderbird Bay in Brownwood.

Poppy was a big fan of Midland High football. Not only did he attend all home games, but traveled to various visiting and playoff games until his health declined and he was no longer able to attend.

The family received guests from 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, June 27, at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home in Midland. Funeral services were 10 a.m., Thursday, June 28, at First Baptist Church Chapel. Interment followed at Crane Memorial Gardens in Crane.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com.