Shelah Gayle Aiken

1955 - 2005

Shelah Gayle Aiken, 50, a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother and dear friend, passed from this world Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005, in Tyler from complications of a brain aneurysm.

Funeral: 10 a.m. Wednesday at Laird Funeral Home in Nacogdoches, the Rev. Michael Murray and the Rev. Jesse Harris officiating. Burial: will follow in Fairview Cemetery. Visitation: The family will receive friends 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Active pallbearers will be Gary Atkins, Edgar Essman, Tony Dawson, James "Bubba" Hand Jr., Lee Hill and Roger Walters.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Hagan, Greg Heflin, David Nelson, Don Parmer and Elzie Smith.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, a foundation has been set up and contributions can be sent to the Shelah Aiken Youth Agriculture Fund, in care of Purina Mills LLC, P.O. Box 6637, Shreveport, La. 71136. \t

Shelah was born March 13, 1955, in Nacogdoches to G.B. and Doris Lantrip Mooney. She was a lifelong resident of Nacogdoches, where she met her husband, Gary, raised their son, Chris, and lived on the Aiken ranch that has been in Gary's family for over 115 years.

Shelah's mother just knew when she had this beautiful little girl that she would be dressing her in fancy dresses of the latest fashions, but Shelah had other ideas. The love of horses and all that goes with it was just too strong and it's sure hard to ride in a dress.

Shelah was quite an accomplished and knowledgeable horsewoman and cowgirl. She wasn't ranch-raised but always had a strong interest and love of horses. She bought her first horse in her early 20s and started competing in playdays and horse shows.

After marrying her husband, Gary, a calf roper and team roper, she then learned to team rope. When their son, Chris, was born he soon became accustomed to life on the roping trail and when old enough joined his parents practicing and competing in the roping arena.

Shelah enjoyed buying unfinished horses and training them herself. Her current horse, Rockin Chex, was named the American Quarter Horse Association 1999 WPRA-PWRA Heading Horse of the Year.

Shelah was a member of the U.S. Team Roping, Coors Team Roping, Team Ropers and Professional Women's Rodeo associations, where she was always a top competitor. She was an 11-time qualifier for the Women's National Rodeo Finals in the team roping event and was their 1999 Reserve World Champion Header.

She was also a 1998 Windy Ryon Memorial Roping Women's Team Roping Champion, 1999 Bud-Light Wrangler All-Girl Team Roping Champion, 2003 USTRC Cruel Girl Team Roping Champion, 2004 Wildfire Ranch Women's Team Roping Champion with many other riding and roping accomplishments.

Her style of roping the steers right to left horns in such a smooth and consistent style was dubbed "spreading the butter." She was tough, consistent, admired and loved by all her competitors. She was just as happy when one of her friends won as if she had won herself.

Shelah went to work for Purina Mills doing a job that she truly enjoyed for a company she loved. She was a loyal and accomplished sales veteran with the Purina Mills Feed Company for over 11 years. She led her sales team to several back-to-back prestigious TeamQuest victories in sales growth and leadership. She also received the coveted Land O' Lakes Purina Feed Circle of Achievement Award for excellence in her profession.

She will truly be missed by her business associates both locally and across the United States. She leaves a legacy throughout the industry with her unyielding love and commitment to animal agriculture and to her customers.

She was a great joke teller and you always knew when she had a good one by the twinkle in her eye. Her love of her family, friends, pets, life and faith was always first and foremost in her life.

She will be truly missed and always remembered, but she will live on through others with her unselfish gift of being an organ donor.

Mrs. Aiken was preceded in death by her father, G.B. Mooney; and stepfather, Jack Borley.

Survivors: Her husband of 29 years, Gary Wayne Aiken of Nacogdoches; son, James Chris Aiken of Nacogdoches; mother, Doris Lantrip Borley of Fort Worth; brother, Stephen B. Mooney of Fort Worth; and father-in-law, R.L. "Pete" Aiken of Nacogdoches.

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