Bernita "Bonnie" O. Shelton

Bernita "Bonnie" Shelton, 101, of Fort Wayne, passed away on Thursday, June 18, 2020. She was born to the late Peter Max and Olive C. (Lomax) Baker on August 12, 1918 in Troy, IN. She graduated from Central High School in Evansville, IN and Lockyear's Business College. She was a member of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Bonnie was a Staff Sargent in the second division of the eighth Air Force based in England during WWII. She was an assistant section chief in the intelligence division. After returning home, she was a receptionist and bookkeeper for Sky Services in Evansville, IN and was believed to be the first or one of the first women to complete flight training in the city and was certified as a pilot. She attended the University of California Berkeley on the GI Bill. On January 19, 1952 she married the late Arthur M. Shelton. In her later years, she was a volunteer at St. Joe Hospital for 20 years retiring at the age of 94. Bonnie was proud to be on one of the early Honor Flights. Bonnie is survived by her children, Kerry (Susie) Shelton, Kathy Shelton, Kris Beam, Dean (Donna) Shelton; grandchildren, David, Jonathan, Rebekah, Audra, Kevin, Brian, and Hailey; great-grandchildren, Oliver and Eloise; and brother, James Baker. Funeral service will be on Facebook Livestream Friday, July 3, 2020 at 3:00 pm. To view her funeral service live please visit www.FaceBook.com/CovingtonKnolls. Burial will be in Peoria, IL. Memorial contributions may be made to Heartland Hospice, 1315 Directors Row #210 Fort Wayne, IN 46808 and the Honor Flight Northeast Indiana, PO Box 5 Huntertown, IN 46708.