Houston Dale Shelton

Houston Dale Shelton, 86, of Casscoe died Saturday, April 30, 2011, at Baptist Health-Little Rock. He was born Nov. 8, 1924, to Alfred Hinson Shelton and Mabel Stone Shelton, the third of three children. His mother died when he was only three years old. His paternal grandmother, Margaret Addie Hinson Shelton, raised him. He graduated from Roe High School in 1942. He was a corporal in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a lifetime member of Hunters Chapel Methodist Church at Casscoe, serving over 50 years as Sunday school superintendent and the same time serving as secretary-treasurer of the church. He was a charter member of Hunters Chapel Cemetery serving as secretary-treasurer. He served 12 years as Arkansas County assessor and six years as Arkansas County judge. He was active in community activities and served several years as secretary-treasurer of the Casscoe Community Center. He was elected to serve on the State Association of County Assessors and was a charter member of the State Association of Public Officials. Mr. Shelton served on the board of Farmers Protective Insurance Company for 45 years (since 1966), and as a past vice-president. At the time of death, he was currently serving as the president on the Farmers Protective Agency Board. Mr. Shelton was instrumental in getting Hunters Chapel Cemetery Association a state charter as a non-profit organization. Mr. Shelton was an avid genealogist and historian that served as co-editor of the Casscoe News Journal. Those preceding him in death, in addition to his parents and grandparents, are Otis Shelton, brother; Larry Dale Shelton, nephew; Florene Shelton, sister; June Sutton Spellmeyer, step-sister; Floyd Sutton, step-brother; and Agnes Russell Shelton, step-mother. Survivors include his wife, Lorene Shirkey-Shelton; one nephew, Robert Shelton; one niece, Sandra Shelton Govar; one sister-in-law, Sarah Shelton; one step-brother, Thomas Sutton; and a host of friends and close relatives who considered him as their "Uncle Dale". He is also survived by a host of nieces and nephews. Services will be at Hunters Chapel Methodist Church in Casscoe Tuesday, May 3, 2011, at 2 p.m., with burial at Hunters Chapel Cemetery. It is suggested that memorials be made to Hunters Chapel Trustees or Hunters Chapel Cemetery Association. Visitation will be Monday from 5-7 p.m. at Turpin Funeral Home in Stuttgart. Pallbearers are Gary William Shelton, James Shelton, Harry Shelton, Larry Fortune, Robert Shelton and Wayne Larson. Honorary pallbearers are Lawrence Bailey, J.R. Herring, Milton Craig, Robert Fischer, Keith Shelton, Neil Watts and Mark Walters. Please go to www.turpinco.com to sign the online guestbook.