Happy Birthday

   Boone was born November 9, 1930 in Chalybeate, MS to Lytle Boone and Lucy Wood Shelton. He graduated from Ripley High School in 1947 and MS College in Clinton in 1951 with degrees in English and Bible. He enlisted in the Korean War immediately upon graduation from college. After basic training he was assigned to the Army Security Agency in Fort Devon, MA and upon completion spent two years with Field Station 8611 in Baumholder, Germany. Boone was a Morse code receiver and continued to keep in touch with some of his Army friends.

   When he returned to the US, Boone enrolled as a graduate student at the University of MS to study journalism and photography. He worked for the Commercial Appeal and Jackson Daily News. He began his teaching career in 1958 at Copiah Lincoln Junior College where he stayed until 1963. As well as teaching English, he served as Assistant Dean of Men and Publicity Director of the school. From 1964 to 1976, he taught at Walnut High School, where he sponsored school plays, class trips and graduations and delighted in the success of his students.

   He was elected Tippah County Chancery Clerk in 1975 and retired in January 1, 1988. At the time of his death, Boone was serving as a Tippah County Election Commissioner and was on the Board of the Shady Grove Water System.

   Boone was an avid outdoorsman and gardener. He loved to grow vegetables and watermelons and enjoyed sharing them with friends and neighbors. He was involved in genealogy and studied the Civil War. He was a member of the VFW and the American Legion. Mr. Shelton was a member of the West Ripley Baptist Church, where he was a previous Sunday School teacher. He had a fine singing voice and sang solo at many weddings. He led singing at Walnut and Shady Grove Baptist Churches.

   It seems like he had a pretty busy life. But when I knew him, he was just Granddaddy. When I was a baby I would point and he would go. He tried to teach me the names of all the trees and the birds. He was our source for every wonderful homegrown vegetable. He taught me a lot about how to draw, and always said he loved the stories I wrote. He taught me to play the dulcimer and how to use his family history books. He loved real peanuts and circus peanuts, crosswords, hymns, gardening, working and CSI: Miami. He never raised his voice and he always used correct grammar. He was a man of few words and set such a great example of what a Christian should be- and he was the smartest person I knew.

   He was wonderful grandfather, and he was my only one. My mom’s parents died when she was young, so he was the only grandfather I ever had. And my sister and I were his only grandchildren. For most of my life my immediate family consisted of 5 other people. So when I lost him it was like losing 20% of my family. When I was little he had heart surgery, but I don’t remember that. Since then, he was healthy and active and everyone just knew he would live forever.

   It was such a shock when I got the call from my mom. Some days I still don’t believe it. I go home and expect to see him come through the door and say “Hey Bub!” to our dog, Gizmo, and then doze off on the couch waiting for lunch. He was a glue for our family, and even a year and a half later, I know we are still recovering. I would love nothing more than to tell him I am going to be a teacher. I can imagine those eyes lighting up and getting a simple “well that’s just fine”.

   But I have no doubt that he knows, and I will do my best to make him proud. Heaven really did gain a saint on that cool day in March, and even though I miss him so much I am so blessed to have been able to spend 20 years with him.

   Happy Birthday Granddaddy.