We have lived in our town for 9 years and my husband has gone to the same gas station every morning. Back in early November he decided to get his CDL as he has been out of work for 3 years but some small jobs he has helped his friend (of 10 years). He told the friend that he wouldn't be able to work with him anymore and his friend got upset and started started bad mouthing him. My husband ignored him and stopped going to the gas station in the mornings. For the next 2 months neighbors and friends told us that he was talking bad about him saying he hopes he fails etc. in January my husband was hospitalized for a week and he joined in rumors he had a stroke. (which he didn't) Then a week later my husbands father passed away and now two weeks later we hear he is sueing us for slander... We ignored this man for 3 months my husband doesn't go to his favorate spot in the mornings and everywhere we go we hear rumors he has started... how can we make this stop?

Go into the store and tell him off? So he is telling things he hears and just says he wishes you failed, he can wish you fail all the wants, he can tell anyone that he hopes things go bad for you.

If you could sue for rumors, I'd be rich.

Unless these rumors are affecting your life financially, and you have to prove that the rumors are the cause, then there's very little you can do.

You can sue. Anyone can sue. But it's doubtful that you'd win.

... and his friend got upset and started started bad mouthing him.
... neighbors and friends told us that he was talking bad about him saying he hopes he fails etc.,
... he joined in rumors he had a stroke. ...
we hear rumors he has started. ...

Slander is saying something false about someone which tends to hurt that person's reputation.

I don't see anything defamatory that you have described.

The following are not slander:

hoping he fails, or
saying he had a stroke.


This is because

The fact that your ex friend hopes your husband fails is presumably true. That is indeed what he hopes.
To say that he had a stroke may be false, but it does not in any way harm his reputation.