Obituary of Joseph Thomas Slavin III

SLAVIN, Joseph Thomas III, age 75, formerly of Alexandria, VA, passed away Wednesday, May 13, 2020 of COVID-19.  Joe was born in Baltimore on July 29, 1944 to Joseph T. Slavin, Jr. and Katherine (Johnson) Slavin.  After graduating from Catonsville Community College, he went on to earn his BS degree from the College of Engineering at the University of Maryland, and multiple Masters degrees from George Washington University.  He had almost completed his PhD when the loss of most of his vision forced him to stop. 

While living in the Baltimore area, Joe worked for the Social Security Administration.  He later moved to the Washington, DC suburbs where he worked for over 40 years at the Library of Congress as a computer analyst and assistive technology expert, specializing in low vision technology.  He retired in 2011.

Joe was an accomplished genealogical researcher, tracking down historical family connections, and making contact and establishing relationships with many living cousins and other relatives.  In spite of his diminishing eyesight, Joe was an excellent photographer for much of his life.  He was also an avid collector of Tom Swift and other children’s series books.  Joe was a lifelong member of American Association for the Advancement of Science, and of the National Organization for Women, where he served as vice-president of the local Vienna Area chapter. 

He was a good and loyal friend.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, and by his sister, Mary Dorothy, who died in childhood.  He is survived by his sister, Margaret Rath, and her husband, Arthur; nieces, Seiglinde Rath, Raina Rath, and Erika Carmean; nephew, Kurt Rath; and many great-nieces and great-nephews.  Joe is remembered fondly by dozens of cousins and friends, including his cousin, friend, and caregiver, Rita O’Connor.  Condolences may be entered on the webpage of the Adams-Green Funeral Home, www.adamsgreen.com.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The CDC Foundation, which protects the health and safety of Americans and communities across the globe.