Mary Ellen Shelton

Mary Ellen Shelton was born on August 17, 1935 in Bowlegs, Oklahoma to Savola Ellen Banks Wilkerson and Lynn Wilkerson. Mary & her siblings, Colleen and Gene spent their childhood in Schulter, Okla & was raised by their Mother, Savola and their grandmother, Mary Jane Banks. They moved to California in 1950. Mary met Bob in Stockton, Ca, they were married soon after meeting, Mary was 15 years old, a love that lasted 69 years until Bob earned his angel wings. They raised their two kids, David & Renee in Pittsburg and Martinez, Calif. Later moving to Okla living in the Kinta/Quinton/Tucker Nob area until moving to Tahlequah where they built a home together across the road from Mary’s sister, Colleen. Mary and Colleen had a very close relationship, if they weren’t together they were talking on the phone. Mary enjoyed being a homemaker. She was the best cook around and thoroughly enjoyed cooking & baking for big family meals which included several desserts. We loved and will always miss her cooking! Mary had the cleanest house in town! She was always cleaning! She loved to sew and made many clothes for family & friends. She made their fancy square dancing outfits as well. At a time in her life she worked at a donut shop, dry cleaners and was a social worker in McAlester, Okla.. Mary was a member of TOPs & Red-Hat Ladies in Quinton with her good friend Betty Bishop. She was a member of the Methodist church. Bob and Mary were members of many square dance clubs since the 1960’s, she loved to get dressed up in her square dance outfits and go to dancing events. After Bob passed, Mary had a stroke and moved to California to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Renee and Ken, however visited her son & daughter-in-law, David and Clydene in Kinta, Okla as often as she could. 

She is survived by her two children, David Lynn Shelton (Clydene) of Kinta, Okla and Renee Diaz (Ken) of Sonora, Calif. Grandchildren: Albert M. Franco (Pamela) of Rio Rancho, NM, Joel Franco (Janelle) of Sonora, Ca, DeAnna Thomas of Eufaula, Okla., Pamela Thomas (Jay) , Dewayne Shelton, Joshua Shelton (Misty) of Quinton, Okla. Ken Diaz Jr (Mandy) of Monette, Ark., Kathleen Hill (Heath) of Sonora, Ca and Kassidy Murphy (Matt) of Coweta, Okla. Great Grandchildren: Alexia, Kayla, Cole, McKenna Franco, Owen, Isaiah, Emmy & Addy Hill of Sonora, Ca, Cody, Colt and Kaycee Thomas, Ashley Needham (Briar), Dalton Thomas, of Eufaula, Okla, Cory Thomas of Muskogee, Okla, Sofia and Dante Franco of Rio Rancho, NM, Christian Shelton (Nina) of Kinta, Okla., Kylie and Rochelle Diaz of Vancouver, WA, Carson, Bentley, Ridge and Ryder of Coweta, Ok, Alexis and Allyssa Cochran of Quinton, Ok and some of her favorite nieces/nephews, Rachel Washington, Charlotte & Lynn Wilkerson, Jeremy Griggs (Khinni) Jessica McDaniel (Travis), Maverick, Ryder, Tripp, Lily, Denver & Lincoln of Atoka and Carol Richmond of Lodi, Ca. 3 Great-Great Grandchildren: Dixie Rose and Gator Wade Shelton of Kinta, Ok and Carter John Needham of Eufaula, Ok. 

She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert (Bob) Shelton, one great grandson, Clayton Franco of Sonora, Ca, Her parents, Savola & Milton Nordahl and Lynn Wilkerson. Two siblings, Gene (Bernice) Wilkerson & Colleen (Ron) Ewan, niece & nephew, Linda DeAlba-Ralston & Rick DeAlba..