Marie P. Shelton

MARIE P. SHELTON OCTOBER 20, 1922-AUGUST 8, 2011 Marie Priscilla Pressner Shelton (of Baltimore, MD), a member of "the Greatest Generation" and a veteran of World War II, died on August 8, 2011. Born in 1922 in the Bronx, New York, Marie Shelton was the only daughter of John and Marian Pressner. After working as a model and for American Airlines, she joined the Navy as a WAVE, serving as a Flight Instructor training fighter pilots. At the end of the war, she married Lt. JG Homer D. Shelton in 1944 and moved to Baltimore, MD where they raised four children. She used the G.I. Bill to study English at Johns Hopkins University. After a successful career as a fundraiser for Mary Sue Candy, she became a realtor, achieving $1 million in sales in her first year. As a volunteer she taught swimming to underserved children in Baltimore. Marie was a committed Christian and active in the church as a speaker for the Christian Women's Club. An avid and adventurous traveler she rode motorcycles in Venezuela while visiting her daughter in the Peace Corps and elephants in a county fair in Michigan. She was an accomplished athlete, winning gold medals in the Senior Olympics. She also took up horseback riding in her fifties. Marie Shelton is survived by her daughters, Christine Marie Shelton (S. C. Bourque) of Northampton, MA, Jacqueline Griffith (Howard) of Centreville, VA, and Barbara Coleman (Michael) of Bowie, MD. She was preceded in death by her son, John Shelton (Mary Beth Wire) of Catonsville, MD, and her husband, Homer Shelton. She leaves nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Her funeral followed by a reception will be held Thursday, August 11, 10am at Reformed Presbyterian Church of Bowie. In lieu of flowers contributions suggested to either: Marie Shelton Memorial Fund established at the Hekima Place orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya: Hekima Place Orphanage c/o Kathy English 407 Morrison Drive Pittsburgh, Pa 15216 Reformed Presbyterian Church of Bowie Deacon's Fund 2807 Church Road Bowie, MD 20721