Larry “Len” Shelton peacefully left his earthly home on Thursday, September 12, 2019, at Tishomingo Community Living Center in Iuka, Mississippi. A devoted husband and loving father and grandfather, he was cherished by many and will be missed by all who knew him well. Len’s story began 74 years ago. He was born on April 27, 1945, to Harold Goodlett Shelton and Mildred Means Shelton in Tupelo.
In 1963, he graduated from Tupelo High School. He was in the United States National Guard for six years. During his working life, he was a butcher at Page’s Supermarket, manager of the meat market at Piggly Wiggly, dispatcher at Cody Oil Company, sales representative for Sales Mark, and retired as a merchandiser at Acosta. He was an outdoorsman who enjoyed turkey hunting, deer hunting and fishing. He was known as being a master griller and cook, famous for his pot roast, steak, divinity, and fruitcake. A Christian, he was a member of Hope Church in Tupelo and formerly a member of Chesterville Baptist Church.
Len is survived by his wife, Sandy Shelton of Tupelo; four children, Tammy Spears (Vic) of Saltillo, Melanie Harrison (Scottie) of Pontotoc, Tina Shelton of Shannon and April Hurley (Grady) of Saltillo; eight grandchildren, Stephanie Smith (Brandon), Lauren Aldridge, Austin Spears, Alyndria Leifheit, Sophie Harrison, Banna Robinson, Addison Hurley and Brock Harrison; two great-grandchildren; three siblings, Glenn Shelton (Donna) of Belden, George Shelton of Chesterville and Margie Snipes (Grover) of McKinney, Texas and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and great-grandson, Brandon Smith, II.
Visitation will be 2 p.m. until service time Saturday, September 14, 2019, at W. E. Pegues, Tupelo.
Services honoring his life will be 4 p.m. Saturday, September 14, 2019, at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues with Bro. Dean Moody officiating. Burial will be in Chesterville Memorial Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Austin Spears, Brock Harrison, Greg Shelton, Scottie Harrison, Grady Hurley, and Vic Spears.
Memorials may be made to Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131 or The Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014.
Expressions of sympathy may be left at www.peguesfuneralhome.com.
