Benjamin Shelton

Benjamin Ray Shelton, Father of many and protector of his family, passed away of natural causes on July 7th, 2025. His presence will be missed as he touched many lives and encouraged a humble way of living.

Ben Shelton is married to Delois Shelton and together they had three children; Mark Jean, Dixie Shelton, & Brent Shelton. Ben also provided care as a father to his wife's children that he raised as his own; Debbie Cates, Donna Jean (deceased), Tony Jean, Kenny Jean, Denise Jean, & Diana Jean-Scherer. Preceded by a generation of 21 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Ben cared for all of the youth in his family as if they were his own. His two youngest children were blessed to have Ben and Delois care for their children: Courtney Warrick, Desaree & Delene Martin.

Ben was a hard worker most of his life & he was always there when he said he would be. He is remembered and well known for delivering the newspaper for Commercial News, and later worked for Pony Express. He was also locally known for operating a local Marathon gas station in Veedersburg, Indiana. He retired many years later and spent most of his time in his garden tending to the food he grew for his family.

An avid gardener and farmer, Ben grew fruit trees, herbs, vegetables, flowers, and anything that really grew under the sun. He was eager to instill this education and experience into the youth in his family, always taking them on walks in his garden and helping to pick food together for dinner that night.

His family and friends remember Ben for his love of reading westerns, mushroom hunting, his love of animals, his expertise in the garden, and his top priority; his passion to take care of his family first and foremost. Knowledgeable, curious to learn, and eager to teach; Ben was an intellect who loved meaningful conversations in a one on one setting, and was always a great listener.

He taught his children & grandchildren how to fish & mushroom hunt, getting their hands dirty at a young age, and having no fear about being outdoors. He himself was an avid outdoorsman. He was a chef, always cooking and sharing meals with family. His love of the outdoors was instilled in his family and today we can enjoy him in the simple things we do that remind us of the things he loved.

Ben was known to rescue animals and care for birds of prey that were injured, caring for and rehabilitating animals was something he had a special gift for. He raised bunnies, ducks, geese, chickens, & cats. One of Ben’s closest and cherished confidants and best friends, was our family dog, Lily, who was with our family for 13 years.

The thing he loved the most of all though, was Delois Shelton, his wife of 50 years. Together they raised their children and grandchildren throughout all of their lives. They always provided a place of rest for their family in a time of need. Ben’s legacy lives on through the activities and hobbies we can pursue in his honor, and by remembering him in the simple quiet moments of pause, as we are all who we are today, due to the love he poured out, his encouragement, and the safety he provided.