Complete 2012 Journal - 2012 NC Conference Journal

Section Vi: Historical Records 313
A little while back I noted that we seldom saw Bill happier than when he was sailing his boat.
Let me tweak that by adding that I never saw Bill happier than when he was in the Pulpit,
behind the Lord’s Table, or at the Font proclaiming in word and sacrament the good news
of God’s great love for each one of us in Jesus Christ. He held on to that faith through his
tough final months battling cancer, and so we commended him to God who loves us with a
love that will not let us go. That’s the gospel Bill proclaimed so winningly over nearly five
decades, and it still rings true.
– Charles M. Smith
Robert E. Shelton
1959 – 2011
The Rev. Robert Edward Shelton, 52, of Graham, NC at the
time of his death, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday,
September 20, 2011.
Funeral services were conducted on Friday, Sept. 23, 2011 at
11 a.m. at Smyrna United Methodist Church in Robbins, NC
officiated by his father-in-law, Rev. James. W. Caviness, Jr, Rev.
James Wooten, Rev. William Gattis and Rev. Tal Madison with
the burial in the church cemetery. There was also a Worship
Service of Remembrance led by Rev. William Gattis held on
Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011 at Mt. Hermon United Methodist
Church, Graham, NC.
Robert was born in High Point, NC on January 18, 1959 to James Shelton and Patricia
Stevenson. He was the husband of Janna Caviness Shelton who was his best friend and who
was the love of his life. Janna loved her Rob dearly and she misses him immensely.
Robert was a 1977 graduate of Licking Heights High School in Licking Heights, Ohio. In
1984 he received a Speech Communications degree from UNC-Greensboro, NC, and was a
1999 graduate of Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC with a Master of Divinity degree. He
was an ordained elder in the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church.
Prior to entering the ministry, Robert worked in the food and service industries. Known
for his gentleness and compassion, he was in his seventeenth year of ministry in NC. Over
his seventeen years of ministry, he served the Franklinville/Rehobeth United Methodist
Churches Charge in Franklinville and Ramseur, NC; Asbury United Methodist Church in
Washington, NC; Smith United Methodist Church in Roanoke Rapids, NC; and was, at the
time of his death, the pastor of Mt. Hermon United Methodist Church in Graham, NC. His
greatest desire was for people to know and feel God’s love and accept God’s salvation that was
so freely given to us all.
Robert was a loving and devoted husband, father, son, brother, nephew, uncle, and cousin to
all of his family. He is survived by his wife, Janna Caviness Shelton of Siler City, NC, his
daughter, Crystol Shelton Gerding and her husband, Alan, of Copley, OH, his daughter,
Anna and his two sons, Wesley and Luke Shelton, all of Siler City, NC, his mother and
stepfather, Patricia and John Stevenson, of West Jefferson, OH, his father and stepmother,
James and Sandi Shelton, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, his brother, Bryan ( Jenny) of
Columbus, OH, his stepbrother, Shawn (Charlene) of Plain City, OH, his in-laws, Rev. James