Raymond Shelton Ditmore

1937 - 2025

Raymond Shelton Ditmore of Marshall, TX passed away peacefully on September 11, 2025, at the age of 88. He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana to his parents Elton and Lonnie B Ditmore. On August 17, 1956, he married his high school sweetheart, Norma Catherine Yandell. They were married at Liberty Road Baptist Church in Houston, TX and celebrated 59 years of marriage before her death in 2015. He was the proud father of four daughters, eleven grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren and fourteen great-great-grandchildren.

Shelton graduated from Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, Texas in 1955 before going to work for The Houston Chronicle. Prior to moving his family to East Texas in 1972, he worked for the City of Houston for over 15 years. He went on to open the first McDonald’s in Marshall and continued working in the restaurant industry until retirement. His hobbies included playing the role of Ronald McDonald in the Ark-La-Tex area in the 1970s and YoYo The Clown at the local library in the 1980s. 

He was very passionate about baseball, known as America’s Pastime, when he was a young boy. He loved to play the game, coach the game, watch the game and talk about the game. He was a dedicated fan of both the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. As a young father, he frequently took his family to both Astro World and to see the Astros play at the Astrodome. He was very proud of the fact that he attended the inaugural baseball game at the Astrodome in 1965 and many more games for the next several years. 

He is survived by his four daughters, Cathy Watson (Marshall, TX), Vicky Pudwill and husband, Dennis (Marshall, TX), Peggy Cowart (Oklahoma City, OK), and Nancy Brummett and husband, Micheal (Checotah, OK); Grandchildren, C.J. Ditmore, Andy Rodgers, Michael Cowart, Jr., Rebecca Cowart, Blair Cowart, Daylee Cowart, Jordan Kelley, Jansen Kelley and Malcom Brummett; and Nephews, Mark Ditmore and Raphael Ditmore.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Guy Elton Ditmore and Lonnie B Shell Ditmore; wife, Norma Yandell Ditmore; brother, Marion Douglas Ditmore; Grandsons, Tyler Cowart and J.J. Kelley; Great-Granddaughter, Emma Claire and Niece, Dedy Ditmore Craig. 

Serving as pallbearers will be Malcom Brummett, Micheal Brummett, Blair Cowart, Jordan Kelley, and Dennis Pudwill. Honorary pallbearer is Andy Rodgers.

A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, September 18, 2025, at Panola Mt. Zion Cemetery in DeBerry, Texas. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at Downs Funeral Home.