Sven Ejvind Sloth

Sven Ejvind Sloth, 88, passed away peacefully on July 3 from cancer.

He was born on Dec. 7, 1933 in Chicago, Ill., the son of Danish immigrants Neils Sloth and Anna Katrina Jensen. He graduated Charlotte Valley HS in1950 at the age of 16. He then graduated Albany State Teachers College majoring in Chemistry. In 1954 he decided to become an aviation cadet in the Air Force. He began navigator training in Jan 1955 graduating 2nd lieutenant in Nov 1955. He became an A.F. pilot and moved up the ranks to become Lt. Col Sloth. He served in Vietnam from 1971-1972. He then continued his education at RPI receiving a Masters in Management. His last assignment was at Griffis AFB in Rome, NY before retiring in1974 after 20 years of meritorious service in the U.S.A.F. with numerous commendations.

On June 24,1956 he married his college sweetheart Patricia Louise Wilson. They had 4 children together: Kim, Eric, Nels and Kristin. The family lived in different parts of the U.S. based on his A.F. assignments.

After retirement he and his family moved to Delhi, NY. He served as Bursar at Delhi Tech; did accounting work, and taught math, business and computers at the college. He ran a rental property with his family and served the village of Delhi as a trustee.

His life led him to Florida where he taught business and accounting at Florida State College of Jacksonville - retiring from college teaching in 1999.

In 1982 he married Ingrid Stevens Meyerhoff and brought her son, Ben,  into his life as his own. He and Ingrid lived in Jacksonville, Fl for 20 years and then moved to Oneonta where they lived until Ingrid’s passing in 2006.

Together they enjoyed gardening, choir, family gatherings, and traveling extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad, including living in China for a year.

In December 2007 he married Eileen Cornwell. They enjoyed time together in NY and then Jacksonville until his death. He said he couldn’t have asked for a better person to share this stage of his life with. Eileen was a loyal, caring, and dedicated spouse who shared his passion for travel and cards. She brought laughter and a caring companionship to his life.

Sven was a brilliant, generous, and kind gentleman. He was an avid fisherman, card, and cribbage player; had a wonderful sense of humor and always seemed to have a twinkle in his eye. Additionally, he will be remembered for having a great pride in his family, his vitality, his poems, songs, and joking ways. He had many fond memories of his Danish heritage including learning Danish folk dancing and gymnastics at the Danish Athletic Club in Chicago and many family gatherings at Moster Karen’s. He maintained Danish traditions throughout his life by sharing Danish food (herring, ‘stinky cheese’), song (Hunskaleva), and dance (around the Christmas tree).

He loved his children and adored his grandchildren. He brought people into his life and made them feel like family. He will be missed by all those that had the privilege of knowing him.

Sven is survived by his wife Eileen; his children Kim (David) Cripps Perazone, Eric (Norma) Sloth, Nels Sloth, and Kristin Sloth, step-children Benjamin Meyerhoff (former spouse Erin), Benjamin Kellogg and Emily Kellogg; grandchildren Ian Cripps, Kathrina Little, Eric Sloth Jr., Chloe Sloth, Christian Sloth, Eileen Sloth, Anya Sloth, Sasha Sloth, and Caleb, Noah and Adah Meyerhoff, Tracey (Joe) Henderson and Kerri (George) Samuel; great grandchildren: Emma and Grayson Cripps, George Little, Elizabeth and William Henderson, Quinn Samuel; brother, Harry Sloth; his ‘adopted’ Chinese family: Qian, Xinming, Qing Liu; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Sven was predeceased by his parents and siblings, Eric (Selma) Sloth, Arthur (Gladys) Sloth, Lillian Siegh-Bichel; his step-siblings Neils (Eunice) Norberg, Anne (Fred) Buck, Axel (Jeane) Norberg, Ester (Robert) Lee, Frida (Ray) Brown, Alice (Howard) Nichols, and Eleanor (Earl) Ikola.

There will be a military burial service at the Jacksonville VA National Cemetery on Friday 8/12 at 1 pm. A celebration of life will take place in the Oneonta, NY area at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Sven’s name to Community Hospice & Palliative Care, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257 or give online at support.communityhospice.com .

To send family on-line condolences please visit www.adignifiedalternative.net .