Helen Irene Shelton, 98, was born the third of 10 children to Herman and Etta (Haney) Hayes on April 20, 1918, in Houston, Mo., and passed away Jan. 30, 2017, in Houston, Mo.
She was united in marriage to Earl Marvin Shelton on Dec. 8, 1934, in Houston, Mo. They enjoyed 54 years in the Ellis Prairie community, raising their family and dairy and beef farming. She also worked at Texas County Memorial Hospital in the laundry department for 10 years. She enjoyed gardening, canning, quilting, flowers, cooking, reading, playing dominoes and word search puzzles.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; a son, Dean Shelton; a daughter, Wanda Garrett; a grandson, Bradley Shelton; a son-in-law, Ernie McKee; sisters, Hazel Wheeler, Tressie Smrek and Vera (Dixon) Leek; and brothers, Robert Jack, Willard and Wilbert Hayes.
She is survived by her daughters, Betty McKee of Willow Springs and Janet (Eddie) Cole of Houston; a daughter-in-law, Joyce Shelton of Bucyrus; a son-in-law, Fairel Garrett of Newburg; 10 grandchildren, Debra, Sherry, Brenda, Marvin, Kent, Tammy, Stacey, Elizabeth, Kyle and Kyson; 18 great grandchildren; 14 great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Hartis Collins and Dorothy Rauscher, both of Houston; and a brother, Johnny Hayes of Vienna, Mo.
Helen accepted Christ and was baptized at an early age. She was a member of Ellis Prairie Baptist Church for many years. She had been a member of Northside Baptist Church for several years and had a great love for her church family.
She will be greatly missed, but we know she is enjoying Heaven’s beauty and rejoicing with her loved ones there.
Services are 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 2 at Ellis Prairie Baptist Church. Burial will be in Ellis Prairie Cemetery under the direction of Evans Funeral Home. Pallbearers were Marvin Shelton, Dustin Allen, Kevin Silveus, Matt Stewart, Clay Ashworth, Jake Scheets and Jamie Smith. Honorary pallbearers were Kaleb Silveus and Ty McCloud.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Ellis Prairie Cemetery. Go to www.evansfh.com to send the family an online condolence.
PAID