Mrs. Ethel Mae Shelton

Reflections of Life Ethel Mae Shelton was born on Sunday, April 15, 1922, in Spring Hill, Mississippi to the union of Millie and Anderson Harrison. She was the twelfth child out of sixteen children. Ethel received her education in the Spring Hill School System and graduated from high school in 1940. She left that educational system with an excellent knowledge of all facets of sewing. Ethel confessed her faith in God at an early age and became a member of the Spring Hill Baptist Church. Upon her graduation from high school, Ethel sent a copy of her graduation announcement along with a picture and letter to her Aunt Ella up north in Brentwood, Missouri. When her Aunt saw this beautiful fresh young lady, she invited her husband's nephew over and presented him with her picture. Ethel had indicated in her letter that she did not want to stay down south on the farm and would like to come up north. When the smitten Robert Grover Shelton saw her he said "I will send the money to her so that she can come." Ethel virtually became a mail order bride and by October they were married. There union was blessed with six children of whom five reached the age of maturity. The family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1948. Ethel remained at home, beinq the consummate homemaker, excelling in everything from her magical seamstress ability to canning and preserving foods, and preparing excellent meals throughout the time she remained a homemaker. Ethel started working outside the home when the last child started school, working at numerous positions in a part time capacity until she was hired at American Motors in year 1958. She worked there until her retirement and then began a second career in retail sales as a part time sales associate at Gimbel . Schusters Department Store, later known as Marshall Fields. Ethel was an excellent seamstress. She could whip up a Vogue Pattern in no time and put her own personal alterations in place calling her creation "a honey lamb." In general she only made clothes for her family and very, very close friends of the family. Ethel would say people didn't understand the time, work and craftsmanship that went into sewing and they certainly didn't want to pay for' it. Nonetheless, Ethel would tell her family "oh don't think you're not going to pay for these "goods" (aka fabric)" and that's when your name went into "the book." Over time "the book" logged more than just "goods." This book was a powerful tool and Ethel loved to get her family in "the book." Ethel was known as the "first worst national bank." She loved brandishing "the book" and reminding one of their debt and asking "when are you going to pay up." Ethel loved to travel and was a member of a travel social club where she met her lifelong friend, Tina Moore. In her later years she enjoyed working alongside her daughter, Brenda, designing, stringing and making jewelry. Together they could copy any design from any print or television. Over the last few years Ethel's health began to decline; however, she remained in her, home through the caring and dedicated assistance of her daughter Brenda, grandchildren, Tommy Anderson and Kayla as well as her nieces Deborah and LaShena. As the song says "never could of made it without you, " which hold true for Ethel's family too. Ethel was preceded in death by her parents, Millie and Anderson Harrison; husband Robert (Bob) Shelton; sons: Johnny, Robert Jr. (Mary Ann), and William (Myra); her brothers: Cain, Robert, William, Japlee, Joe, Elmer, Luther, Anderson, and Prince (Marie); sisters Eula, Maggie, Mary, and Omega. She leaves to cherish her memory her daughters, Jeanette, Patricia and Brenda; 12 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; one sister, Mamie and one brother Ed (Juanita); a host of great, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, adopted daughters, Dana Rhinehart and Lilly Belle Wilson, and dear friends.

Mrs. Ethel Mae Shelton

April 15, 1922 - January 25, 2015