Charles Curtis Sluder

Arden, NC- Charles Curtis “Curt” Sluder, 88, of Arden, went to be with the lord peacefully on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 following a brief illness.

Curt was preceded in death by his parents Ganes Wallace Sluder and Jean Miles Sluder of Arden, paternal grandparents Charlie and Maggie Sluder of Leicester, and maternal grandparents Curtis and Stella Miles of Alexander.

He was a lifelong car lover and toolmaker. He was a 1954 graduate of Lee H. Edwards High School and completed studies in Toolmaking at A-B Tech in 1966. He was associated with many people in the machine building and tooling trades both in the Western North Carolina area as well as Taiwan, where he spent 24 years. Curt served his Toolmakers apprenticeship at Southern Tool & Die Co., before joining CTS of Asheville, where he was Tool Room Foreman for five years. He had been a past member of the Engineering Society of Western North Carolina and SME Engineering Societies. In his younger years, he was a square dancer with the Echo Inn and the Stoney Mountain Cloggers, dance teams and appeared on the Grand Ole Opre many times from 1958 to 1964.

The high point in his life was being transferred to the CTS operation in Taiwan in 1973 where he served as Technical Director and Director of International Purchasing until 1987. His love of the people in Taiwan prompted him to remain there for his 15 years of service with CTS Components Taiwan Ltd. Upon leaving CTS, he chose to remain in Taiwan and formed Far East Tool Service, which was instrumental in the development of automatic machinery to insert the gold contact wires into phone jacks. He and his wife Marjorie operated this company together for nine years prior to their return to the Arden area.

After his return to this area in 1995, he has worked for Frustration Solvers of Charlotte, Betech Inc, Avail, Hanson Systems and POLYlinks all of the Arden and Asheville areas.

He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Marjorie Chang Sluder; a son Jerry Sluder Wang and wife Ayla of Greenwood, South Carolina and step-son Chih-Han (Max) Wang of Taiwan. Additional survivors are brother Gerald Sluder and wife Jewell, of Leicester, sisters Norma Young of Camden, South Carolina, Linda Tandy and husband Joe of Fletcher, Nancy Watkins of Arden and sister-in-law Fei Fei Chang and husband Su-Gong of Taiwan. Eight nieces and nephews are in several locations of the United States.

Curt’s family will have a private service and burial at a later date.

Memorials can be made in Curt’s memory to the Cemetery Fund at Mountain View Freewill Baptist Church in Leicester, which was founded by his great grandparents John and Malinda Sluder. Donations can be mailed to Rebecca Ponder: 15 Harbeck Dr.,Weaverville, NC 28787.

Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.