Robert Dean Shelton, aka Bobby Dean, was born June 2, 1952 to Louis Howell and Harriet Hogdson Shelton. He had two older brothers, JC and Ronnie, and two younger sisters, Jane and Sally. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Ron Shelton, and his son, John Louis Shelton. His dad was a farmer, then farm chemical salesman, and finally a circuit preacher for the Evangelical Brethren and then the Methodist church. He traveled to three churches to pastor, taking his wife and five children along.
Bob’s father baptized him in the Wabash River at the age of twelve. A shy boy with a mild speech impediment, he had dreams of becoming an engineer and building bridges. After graduating High School in Grayville, IL, in 1970, he went to the University of Illinois at Carbondale, where he earned a degree in Civil Engineering Technology. Birdwell, based in West Virginia, employed him to work in the oil and gas sector. He met and married Diana Watts in 1974 and they had two children, John Louis and Kimberly Ann Shelton. After relocating to Owasso, Oklahoma, Bob lost his job at Birdwell when the company downsized facing economic pressures.
After he and Diana divorced, Bob went to work at KATO Operating Co in Bristow, OK, taking John along. He worked as an oilfield engineer, spending his days at various leases near Bristow. He attended the First Methodist Church.
Bob married Donna McCoy in the parlor of the Methodist Church in Bristow, OK on 31 December 1987. They blended a family of four children, Cassandra Duff and John Shelton, both nine, and Kim Shelton and Jeremy Duff, both seven. Bob lost his job at KATO when the oil business collapsed. He enrolled in the Master of Science program at OSU/Tulsa to study for a degree in Environmental Engineering, hoping to widen his scope and get away from the oil field. It was a successful move, as the City of Tulsa hired him to work in the waste management department as an engineer. Over a remarkable twenty-six years with the City of Tulsa, he received accolades in honor of outstanding professional achievement. He completed his degree and received his coveted Professional Engineer credentials. The City of Tulsa was a wonderful place to work, and he enjoyed the opportunity to travel widely to engineering conferences.
At his retirement in 2017, Mayor GT Bynum proclaimed “Robert Shelton Day” in his honor. After his retirement, he opened three small shops in local markets to sell antique furniture that he restored. Bob was known throughout his life for his tender feelings, unshakeable faith in Christ, and his extravagant generosity.
Over the years, Bob and Donna lived in Broken Arrow, Tulsa, and Hallett, Oklahoma. In 2023, He and Donna relocated to Jacksonville, AR to be near their daughter, and were active in City Hope Assembly of God Church until his death on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at their home in Jacksonville, Arkansas.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026 at 10:00am in the chapel at A Natural State Funeral Service in Jacksonville, Arkansas.
Arrangements by A Natural State Funeral Service 2620 West Main Street, Jacksonville, Arkansas 72076. 501-982-3400. Online guestbook available at www.anaturalstatefuneralservice.com