Jozef Callum Sloma Life Celebration and Memorial

It would be our joy and honor to celebrate Jozef Callum Sloma the way that he lived his life. Jozef died at the age of 21 as the result of a tragic accident in April 2021. He was a proud native Vermonter who left his home at a young age and recently returned like a salmon swimming upstream to his natal waters. Jozef lived life with great enthusiasm, loved adventure, and opened his arms, life, heart, and hope to all he encountered, family, friends, and strangers. He was an old soul, perhaps because of his beloved intergenerational family members. Jozef energetically re-connected us to each other and the earth that gives us life. He took solace in working with his hands, living large in the great outdoors, and was able to see more clearly than many through external trappings into deeper understandings and meanings. He adored skiing with friends, his theater and choral families, his carbon fiber bicycle, jamming in the corridors of Spokane Folkfest, camping with friends and family, road trips, guitars, classic vehicles, swimming with friends, maps and plans, Dr. Who, the family’s Old Town canoe, making new dishes and enjoying interesting foods, adventuring, and “the good protest.” Since the age of 14, Jozef purchased, repaired, sold and traded vintage and classic vehicles with each car or motorcycle tenderly treated like an old friend. He was a fan of all genres of music from Woody Guthrie, folk, bluegrass, country, classical, to classic rock. Jozef could make his voice and guitar sing out to emulate musicians such as Johnny Cash, Elvis, or Rayland Baxter.

Jozef Callum Sloma sings Olivia by Rayland Baxter 

Rather than dwelling in our family’s darkest ever two weeks, your Go Fund Me donation will help us remember a wonderful young man who brightened the lives of those around him. In lieu flowers or cards, Jozef’s parents are starting a GoFundMe campaign to establish or contribute to existing scholarships in recognition of his joi de vivre and life-long interests that help a non-traditional activist, camper, and student. Our hope is to honor Jozef by encouraging non-traditional students to grow in confidence and life’s lived experiences. Instead of a funeral, his parents and friends are celebrating Jozef’s life with non-traditional scholarships, “memory walks” and other memorial events. Funds may also be used to pay for medical or other memorial expenses.