| HELEN SHELTON |
| Mrs. Helen Shelton, 79, of the North Adams Home in Mendon, formerly of Payson, died at 6:45 a.m. Sunday (September
23, 2001) in Blessing Hospital. Born September 30, 1921 in Hull, Helen was the daughter of Earl and Ella Mae Eckman Shepherd. She married David W. Shelton Sr. on August 17, 1940 in Hannibal, MO. He survives. Mrs. Shelton graduated from Pittsfield Community High School and attended Western Illinois State Teachers College in Macomb and had taken classes through John Wood Community College. She was secretary and worked on the Publicity Committee of the Old Settlers Association, was an auditor for Payson Township and village clerk for 12 years. She also completed 11 years in water service billing for the Village of Payson. She had been a member of the Payson Congregational Church - United Church of Christ for 67 years, of which her great great great grandfather was a founding deacon. She served on the parish board, as church clerk, church historian, secretary of the Women's Fellowship, the Executive Board of Fellowship, in the primary department, various nominating committees, was active with the Adult Sunday School Class, sang in the church choir for more than 42 years, and also served on the Quincy Area Mission Council. Helen received a PTA Life-time Membership Award and was awarded a Masonic Lodge plaque in 1993. Mrs. Shelton was the Adams County Champion Senior Speller from 1989 to 1993. She was a charter member of the Home Extension Night Unit, an original volunteer of the Meals Plus Program in Payson, was a member of the Payson History Organization, and served on the Payson New Cemetery Committee. For the past few years she read to the classes in the primary grades at Payson Grade School. An avid reader, she had written and published numerous stories, articles, private assignments about old Payson homes, and a biographical book. She wrote feature articles for the Quincy Herald Whig for more than 20 years and also wrote for the Payson-Liberty Bee and Western Express News in Barry. Helen owned and operated the Snack-Shack restaurant in Payson for 20 years and was employed by Blessing Hospital in the Tea Room from 1981 to 1989. Also surviving are two sons, David W. Shelton Jr. of Payson and Richard D. Shelton and his wife Vera of Jacksonville, FL.; six daughters, Carole Scranton and her husband Richard of Liberty, Nancy Kay Neill and her husband Owen of Monroe, MI., Sarah M. "Sally" Griffith of Argenta, IL, Karen E. Heaton and her husband Gale of Middletown, IL., Wendy Gilbert and her husband James of Speedway, IN., and Lisa Anne Bornman and her husband Tim of Indianapolis, IN.; 17 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; two brothers, Sheldon E. Shepherd and Sherman M. Shepherd and his wife Mary all of Hull; three sisters, Verna Johnson of Manassas, VA., Dorothy Torrens and her husband Jack of Kansas City, MO., and Mary Ann Hammitt of Rockport, IL.; and several nieces and nephews. Mrs. Shelton was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter in law, Cheryl Shelton; a great grandson, Donald Neill; two sisters, Wilma McCallister and Mildred Waggoner; and two brothers, Robert Shepherd and Richard Shepherd. Funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 10:00 in the Payson Congregational Church by the Rev. Rick Welch and Brother Kenneth Worcester. Burial will be in the Payson New Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. in Zehender Robinson Stormer Cookson Funeral Home in Payson and Thursday morning from 9:00 until the time of services at the church in Payson. Memorials may be made to the Payson Congregational Church or the Blessing Foundation for Hospice. |