Jessie B. Shelby

Jessie B. Shelby was born on March 15, 1923 and most blessedly went to be with her Lord on the evening of September 19, 2016. As the ninth of ten children and the eighth of nine girls, she grew up just west of downtown along Shoal Creek at the corner of Ninth Street and Henderson. As a lifelong Austinite, Jessie B. attended Palm Elementary, University Junior High and graduated from Austin High School in 1941. Upon graduation, she married her high school sweetheart, Gerald Lee Payton.

While her husband was serving in World War II, Jessie B. enjoyed working at Stelfox Jewelers on "the Avenue" where she became an admirer and lover of exceptional jewelry, silver, china and crystal. In 1943, her daughter, Carolyn Lee Payton, was born. However, after 17 years of marriage, Jessie B. became a widow at 35. While spending months with her husband in the hospital, Jessie B. met Joe Aubrey Shelby in the cafeteria of the hospital. Aubrey's spouse was dying as well; and after both of their spouses passed away, they married two years later. In 1963, they were surprised by the birth of a daughter, Sheri Jo Shelby. Ten years after the death of her first husband, Jessie B. found herself a widow again at 45 years old.

Jessie B. firmly believed "when God closes a door, he opens a window," so she began a career as a community volunteer. She was a member of Save the Children Federation, Laguna Gloria Art Guild, Austin Natural Science Center Guild, Engineer's Wives, served as a weekly "robin" at St. David's Hospital and enjoyed her monthly visits to Marbridge Farms as a volunteer working with the men who lived at the home and ran the nursery.

Jessie B. was also a businesswoman who managed commercial real estate and other assets of her family's company, JBS Holdings. All the while, she continued to make a difference in her community by serving on the boards of the Women's Symphony League, the Austin Woman's Club as well as serving as a member of the Board of Directors of First State Bank and on the Grand Jury of Travis County.

At 80 years young, she married Forrest Weatherton and together they enjoyed their grandchildren, travelling, going to the ranch in Liberty Hill and keeping up with their large circle of friends. They were members of Tarrytown United Methodist Church where Jessie B. was a faithful member of her beloved Dorcas Sunday School Class.

Jessie B. was also a member of Westwood Country Club, the Austin Club as well as a member of the Austin Country Club Women's Association where she continued to enjoy her weekly bridge games well into her eighties. Later in life, she would gather with life-long friends, several of whom were fellow Austin High graduates during the "War Years." They fondly referred to themselves as the WOW Club, Wise Older Women. Jessie B. was extremely witty and had a contagiously outgoing personality.

Jessie B. is lovingly survived by her daughters and son-in-law, Sheri and Winston Krause of Austin and Carolyn Payton Choate of Miami, Oklahoma and her grandchildren and great-grandson, Cheri Blount of Miami, Oklahoma; Shelby, Travis and John Winston Goff of Dallas; Wynn Krause of Austin and Hill Krause of Austin as well as her husband, Forrest Weatherton of Austin.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the Weatherton Family, Dr. David Pohl and Dr. Miranda Dent; Nurse Jenny with Personalized Living at The Summit in Westlake; everyone at Hospice Austin; and to her caregivers Charlotte Johnson and Martha Martinez but most of all to her beloved caregiver, confidant and friend of over 20 years, Mela Velasqeuz.

Following a private burial service, a memorial service will be held at Tarrytown United Methodist Church at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27, 2016. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Tarrytown United Methodist Church, The Settlement Home for Children or the charity of your choice.