Westmont Mourns the Death of Longtime Trustee

Jim Slevcove, a longtime Westmont trustee, died January 10, 2020, at the age of 89. “We extend our prayers and sympathy to Manya, his wife of more than 60 years, their children Juliann, Sara and Joe, and their families,” says President Gayle D. Beebe. “Jim served as a board member from January 1985 to May 2012, when he became a trustee emeritus. He was a generous, warm-hearted and loving person committed to Christian ministry and to his family. We deeply appreciate his many years of faithful service to Westmont.”

Jim and Manya founded Yosemite Sierra Summer Camps at Bass Lake in 1972 to provide Christian adventure camp experiences for children 8 to 16 years old. While most West Coast Christian camp and conference centers offered weekend or week-long programs, the couple designed longer stays of two or more weeks to provide for deeper learning and broader growth. Jim was also a successful real estate investor in commercial properties.

Juliann Slevcove-Sands ’82 and her husband, Jim, own Sands Asset Management in San Clemente. Sara Slevcove Kuljis ’83 and her husband, Steve, own and operate Yosemite Sierra Summer Camps.

Jim and Manya lived in San Clemente and attended San Clemente Presbyterian Church for many years before moving to Laguna Hills.