Thomas Jefferson Shelton Jr.'s Obituary
Shelton, Thomas Jefferson Jr. (80) of Safety Harbor, died peacefully on April 28, 2015, at Hospice Care Center in Palm Harbor due to back of tongue cancer. He was preceded in death by his parents (Vivian & Thomas Shelton, Sr.); grandson (Ryan Mitchell) and son-in-law (Thomas Mitchell). Mr. Shelton is survived by his wife of 54 years, Judy; daughter, Traci Zimmerman (Clearwater); sons - Stephen Shelton (Palm Harbor) & Todd Shelton (California); grandchildren – Emily Mitchell (Holiday); Stephen & Susan Smith (North Carolina); Taylar Bay (North Carolina); Danielle and Tommy Shelton (Jacksonville); 2 great granddaughters – Arliyah & Mariyah Arline (Holiday); and his sister, Betty Ezell (Seminole).
Mr. Shelton was born in St. Pete and graduated from St. Pete High School. He was very proud of his family roots in Pinellas County and was a proud American Patriot. He served with the U.S. Army in Germany, as well as in the Army Reserves when he returned to the U.S. He worked in the insurance industry for many years and retired (after 25 years) from AIG in 2011. He was an avid baseball fan (since he was a young child) and never missed a Rays game on TV (when he was not able to attend a game). He also loved car racing, reading, history, and playing games – especially solitaire & word search puzzles n his later years.
He was a wonderful and loving husband and dad. He loved being a “Boompah” to his 7 grandchildren and 2 great granddaughters. Even friends of the family called him Boomps and he loved it. He was well known for his great stories and great memory on all the little details (made you feel like you were right there with him when it happened). He always had a smile on his face and spoke kindly of everyone he knew and met. He always said he was a “lover not a fighter”, which is definitely true and how he lived his life.
A Celebration of Tom’s Life will be held at 12:00 pm on May 30, 2015 at Moss Feaster in Clearwater, which will be followed by a procession to his final resting place (Sylvan Abbey Cemetery in Clearwater).
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider donating to Hospice Care Center in Palm Harbor, so that they can continue to care for others as they did their loved one, Tom.
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