Raymond O. Shellito, 93, passed away Sunday, January 21, 2018 at Smith County Memorial Hospital, Smith Center, KS.
Raymond was born August 13, 1924 in Smith Center, KS, the son of Roy O. and Katherine D. (Kiddoo) Shellito. On October 21, 1945 he married Betty Hays in Smith Center, KS, to this union they were blessed with three children, Ray Lee, Barbara and Milo. Raymond was a proud United States Navy Veteran serving from April 22, 1944 to May 8, 1946. He served on the USS South Dakota (BB-57), USS Iowa (BB-61) and was a radarman, Third Class.
Raymond loved to farm and kept busy building fence, milking cows, taking care of the chickens, hogs, feeding the cattle and anything else he and Betty would happen to have on the farm. Betty and Raymond enjoyed square dancing and did so until they were unable to. Ray had also sold registered Charolais cattle for many years. He served on the Smith Center Coop Board, Custer Cemetery Board and was a Cargill seed dealer. His pride and joy were his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, he loved playing pitch anytime family showed up and never wanted anybody to leave. Raymond enjoyed homemade ice cream and loved when Ray Lee and Barbara would make him ice cream when staying with him at the farm.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a son Milo, his wife Betty, three brothers, Alfred E., Harold C. and Arthur Leo Shellito and two sisters, Frances I. and Eva Katherine Hill.
Raymond is survived by a son Ray Lee (Cindy) Shellito of Russell; daughter Barbara (Jim) Sweat of Smith Center; daughter-in-law Sharlyn Shellito of rural Smith County; seven grandchildren, Gunnison R. Shellito of Dallas, TX, Austin A. (Lisa) Shellito of North Lake, TX, Sommer (Damian) Morgenstern of Russell, Laura (Rhett) Kingsbury, Lee Sweat and fiancé Michelle Allen all of Smith Center, Alicia (Lucas) Douglas of Galva, KS and Anthony Shellito of Smith Center; and ten great-grandchildren, Marshall and Henry Shellito, Talia, Ethan and Breely Morgenstern, Sierra, Kinser, Camber and Briggs Kingsbury and Sawyer Douglas.
A celebration of Raymond's life will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, January 29, 2018 at All Faiths Funeral Chapel, Smith Center, with Pastor Lance McDowell officiating. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Sunday, January 28, 2018 and until service time Monday at the funeral chapel. Burial will be in the Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center, KS. Memorials may be given to Raymond O. Shellito Memorial Fund and sent in care of the funeral chapel.