With honor and respect, we celebrate the life of Beverly Jean (Cole) Shelton. Beverly was born and grew up in Beggs, Oklahoma. As teenagers, she and her siblings learned the craft of neon tube bending so they could work at their father's neon sign business in Beggs to help support their family while also attending school.
Upon graduation from Beggs High School in 1952 with honors, Beverly immediately moved to Austin to start a job as a neon tube bender at Duplex Advertising Company while also attending the University of Texas at Austin. While working at Duplex, she met her future husband Melvin Shelton, who had been employed there since 1946. On September 18th, 1953, they were united and had a blissful marriage until his death in 2009.
They established their own electrical sign company in 1970 under the name Shelton Sign Company, then changed the name in 1971 to Ad-Lite Signs. They owned and operated Ad-Lite signs successfully with the help of family members and employees until their retirement in 2006. Being members of TSA Texas Sign Assoc. for 30 years, they made many friends who were always in their hearts.
Outside of their busy life at work, Melvin and Beverly enjoyed both traveling afar and relaxing close to home. Visiting Rome was their favorite international trip, but the excitement of snow skiing, often with the local ski club, also provided many memorable times. Traveling to Vale, either by themselves or with the ski club, proved to be their preferred snow skiing destination. Throughout their lives, there was always a trip on the horizon to a state park or boating and water skiing in East Texas or wherever their interests led them.
Locally, they enjoyed going to the lake to enjoy the serenity of nature and be at their waterfront property. It was their retreat, at any time, from their business life; time to be with one another or while also enjoying the company of family and friends. Teaching everyone who was willing how to water ski was a given. Beverly enjoyed living an active life. She endlessly tried to slalom water ski until she finally succeeded. She was so proud. She got certified for scuba diving at 50 years old to fully enjoy the tropics. She loved parasailing and went for her last time in 2012 at 78 years old. She went snow mobiling twice in Yellowstone. She loved taking the Pink Jeep Tours down the Grand Canyon. She loved hiking in Big Bend and Palo Duro Canyon.
Beverly and Melvin had a "True Love Affair" with each other; virtually inseparable. From the first time she connected with Melvin in 1952 until his passing in 2009, for 57 years they worked, lived, and played together in True Love.
Beverly devoutly and faithfully followed a Christ led life. She continuously attended one of three churches during her time in Austin. She had a zeal for living fully with her family and friends. Celebrating every occasion possible embodied her desire to bond with others. She touched the lives of numerous people with her joy for living.
In October 2017, Beverly entered the care of Elan Southpark Meadows Assisted Living Center, where, there too, she displayed outward expressions of care toward her fellow residents. Special recognition is due to her son, Kenneth and his wife Wanda, for their tireless and extraordinary devotion to Beverly's care.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Henry Shelton; father, Samuel Warren Cole; mother, Jean (Orr) Cole; sister, Mary Boatright; brother, Warren Cole; grandson, Coby Shelton; and infant daughter, Karen Louise Shelton.
Survivors include her sister, Carolyn Breazeale of Lakeway, TX; brother, James (Joyce) Cole of Abilene, TX; sons, Bruce Shelton of Austin and Kenneth (Wanda) Shelton of Buda, TX; daughter, Laura (Dan) Rogers of Spicewood, TX; grandchildren, Kevin (Beth) Wood of Buda, Amanda (James) Simmons of South Asia, Samuel and Christopher Rogers of Spicewood; and great-grandchildren, Aimee, Vivian and Everleigh Wood of Buda and Aliya Simmons of South Asia.
The family will be accepting guests at Cook Walden Forest Oaks Memorial Park, 6300 W. William Cannon Dr., Austin, Texas 78749, for a reception and visitation from 5:00pm-7:00pm on Saturday, August 17, 2019. Funeral services will be held at Cook Walden Forest Oaks Chapel at 10:00am on Sunday, August 18, 2019, with interment to follow at their cemetery. Robert Cole and Jonathan Bergman will be officiating. Pallbearers for the service will be Kevin Wood, Paul Breazeale, Christopher Rogers, Samuel Rogers, Andrew Cole, and Drew Gautreaux.
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