Elaine Lelia Shelton

Elaine was born July 15, 1920 in White River, County of Mellette, South Dakota to Earl and Marie Edna Cotton Halligan. Marie was originally from South Dakota, but had lived with her Grandmother, Anna Steece Cotton (bd 1828) in Marietta, Ohio during high school and college.

Marie returned to South Dakota to teach and to assist with her younger brothers and sisters. Earl homesteaded in the area of White River following service in the army during WW I. Earl met Marie at a dance held in the one room schoolhouse where Marie taught first through eighth graders. Elaine was the oldest of five children: Delton, Claude, Maralyn, and Marjorie. In 1935 the family moved from South Dakota to rural Roggen, Colorado. Elaine attended Kiowa Creek School where she met her future husband, Ray Shelton. Elaine’s family moved to Wiggins two years later and Elaine graduated Wiggins High School in May, 1938.

On November 1,1938, Ray and Elaine married in Denver and purchased an eighty-acre irrigated farm close to the Kiowa Creek School. Elaine and Ray had three daughters: Joyce Lavonne, 1939, Anne Marie,1942, and Janet Kay, 1950. During WWII Ray served in the Navy stationed in San Diego. In 1945, Elaine went to be with Ray in San Diego, leaving Joyce and Anne in the care of her parents in Ft. Morgan. The family moved to Ft. Morgan in 1952 and remained there for three years with Elaine working in a glove factory while Ray continued farming. The family returned full time to the Kiowa area in 1955. In 1965, Elaine and Rays sold the farm and moved to Aurora, Colorado with Elaine working in a paint store and Ray working for Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center. In 1978 they moved to Brighton where they remained. Elaine spent fifteen years working for the Department of Air Force Personnel Center retiring July 1988.

Elaine’s passion was selling Avon and she won many awards for her achievements. She began selling Avon door to door while still living in the Kiowa area and continued until age 92. Elaine was a wonderful homemaker and seamstress. When neighbors dropped in to visit, coffee and homemade cookies were always available. Her specialty was making pies and rolls for Sunday dinners. Elaine used her seamstress talent to make many beautiful outfits for special occasions and completed each ensemble by coordinating it with Avon jewelry. Elaine was always at Ray’s side and for over thirty years they shared many wonderful snowmobile trips throughout Colorado, Wyoming, and Yellowstone. Elaine Shelton, age 100, passed away peacefully on August 4, 2020 at Gardens on Quail in Arvada, Colorado from the Covid-19 virus.

Elaine is survived by three daughters: Joyce L. Sheppard of Cedar City, Ut, Anne Marie Rumley of Arvada, Co, and Janet K. Meyer of Douglas Wy., six grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren, ten great-great-grandchildren and one great-great-great granddaughter. Elaine was preceded in death by her husband Ray; two brothers: Delton and Claude Halligan; and two grandchildren: Carol Sheppard Adams and James Sheppard Jr.

Viewing to be held at Tabor-Rice Funeral Home, 75 S 13th Ave, Brighton, Co on Thursday, August 13, 2020 between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. Services to be held Friday, August 14, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., at the Riverside Cemetery, in Fort Morgan. Some tented seating with chairs will be available, but please bring a lawn chair just in case.

Regretfully, due to Covid-19 concerns, there will be no luncheon. Masking and social distancing will be requested per State Orders. The services may be viewed on line at www. taborfuneralhome.com (Elaine Shelton) after noon Friday, August 14, 2020.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Kiowa Creek Sunday School, Building Fund of Anne Rumley 6742 Moore Street, Arvada, Co 80004, 303-425-4362 (daughter) or the charity of your choosing.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Elaine Lelia Shelton, please visit our floral store.