She was a homemaker and foster parent for Holston United Methodist Home for Children. Her life work was dedicated to taking care of children and making sure they knew they were loved. She kept at least 40 newborns along with other foster children. She babysat for at least 50 neighborhood children. She always said that children were her life.
Mrs. Shelton was a member of Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church in Sunnyside. She had first become a member when she was six years old. She was able to return to the church within the past couple of years. She held the church near and dear to her heart.
Survivors include her daughter: Kimberly Faith, whom she made her home with up until her sickness; Ricky Presley and wife, Lindsey, and son, Cole Maddox, who called Mrs. Shelton “Mamaw” because she kept him from the time he was born until he went to school; foster son and wife: Curtis and Kathy Kelsey; two foster grandsons: Josh and Ryan; a very special niece, who stayed with her many days: Barbara Ann Holt; Meredith Cutshall Haynes, a neighborhood child who helped with caregiving; sister: Patty Fortner; brother-in-law: Tommy Southerland; sister-in-law: Joyce Swatzell; special great-great nephews: Dylan and Tucker West; special neighbor: Dagan McMahon; special friends: Howard Cutshaw, J.D. Couch, Lucille Jordan, and Dorothy Gregg; and several nieces, nephews, church family, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband: Harold “Pete” Shelton; sister, Romaine Southerland; brothers and sisters-in-law: Harry and Charlotte Fortner and Lyle and Francis Fortner; nephew: Christopher Southerland; and parents: Lem and Bonnie Fortner.
The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home.
The funeral service will be held at 8:00 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home chapel with Rev. John Buchanan and Pastor Melinda Sturm officiating.
Interment will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday in GreeneLawn Memory Gardens. Family and friends are asked to meet at the funeral home at 10:30 a.m. Friday to go in procession to the cemetery.
In lieu of flowers and food, memorials may be made to Holston UM Home for Children, P.O. Box 188, Greeneville, TN 37744; or to Mt. Carmel UM Church, c/o Vana Morelock, 445 Cicero Avenue, Greeneville, TN 37743.
