INMAN, S.C. – Mary Catherine “May” Hart Shelden, 103, of Inman, S.C., died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011, at RoseCrest Retirement Home.
Mrs. Shelden was born in Waterford on Dec. 5, 1907, the daughter of the late John Edward Hart and Bridget Frances Feely. She grew up in Troy and attended Lansingburgh High School. She was the first person in her family to attend college, graduating from Albany State Teachers College in 1929. In 1936 she married the late E. Vail Shelden of Millbrook. In 1946 they moved to Norwich, where they lived for almost 50 years. Both Mary and Vail were teachers at Norwich High School until their retirements in 1968. Both were active gardeners. Summers were spent taking the family on automobile trips to the National Parks and other camping venues or their summer cottage at Paradox Lake. She and Vail traveled widely after their retirement, from Alaska to Peru, Hawaii, and Europe. They also enjoyed visiting their children and grandchildren around the U.S. She and Vail moved to Tryon, N.C. in 1995 and she moved to Inman, S.C. in 2008.
She leaves behind her daughters, Miriam F. “Mim” Shelden and dear friend Lou A. Kinsey of Inman, S.C., and Lucy S. (David) Levy of St. Louis, Mo.; and her son, Gilbert V. Shelden (Marie) of Corpus Christi, Texas. Mary was the loving grandmother of Josh, David and the late Catherine Levy, Brian, Andrew, Bridget Shelden, and Phoebe Shelden Harbour; great-grandmother of Zach, Emma, Ryan, Kate, and Michael Levy, Cody and TJ Harbour, Ethan Shelden, Christian and Caleb DeLaune; and loving aunt of Leona (George) O’Sullivan, and Lois (Paul) Cook.
A committal service is to be arranged in Amenia at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggest to Lutheran Hospice, 429 N. Main Street, Ste 3, Greenville, SC 29601; Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Catherine Levy Fund, 210 Hazel Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63119; or a charity of one’s choice.
Condolences and memories may be expressed to Mim at mshelden@charter.net, Lucy at lucylevy@earthlink.net, or Gil at gil@shelden.org.
An online guest register is available at www.floydmortuary.com.