William Shelton had vision for future
William Edward Shelton III, a retired Leader Federal executive, civic leader and downtown revitalization visionary who helped spur development of Mud Island park and the Mid-America Mall, died of lymphoma Friday at Baptist Memorial Hospital East. He was 74.
During a visit to Vicksburg, Miss., after viewing a model of the Mississippi River, he conceived the idea of the Mud Island riverwalk and the scale model of the river. The project became a reality after receiving widespread support throughout the community.
"He could never be involved in anything without seeing how much better it could be if people would become inspired to work together," said his wife, Mary Hadfield Shelton. "He thought the status quo was the saddest thing in the world because standing still is really moving backward.
"He did it for the benefit of people -- not a person, not a bank, not somebody's coffers -- but people."
Said Gov. Don Sundquist, "Bill Shelton was a visionary and made a big difference in many lives, including mine."
Services will be a 10 a.m. Monday at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Graveside services will be a 1 p.m. Tuesday in Maplewood Cemetery in Mayfield, Ky.
Born and raised in Mayfield, Mr. Shelton was a graduate of Murray State University and was director of their Campus Lights productions. He was also leader of the Bill Shelton orchestra.
He was a Naval Air Corps pilot during World War II and was wingman for Duke Windsor, the first pilot to break the sound barrier.
He received his master's degree from the University of Illinois, where he again organized an orchestra, later voted the "Best College Dance Band in America." While there, he met and married Mary Hadfield, a popular singer ... After graduation, Mr. Shelton returned to Mayfield, where he became president of the Rotary Club, a member of the City Council, president of the Chamber of Commerce and chairman and founder of the Mayfield Planning Commission and Graves County Development Commission.
He moved to Camden, Ark., where he was executive director of the Chamber of Commerce and a member of the speakers' bureau established by then-governor Winthrop Rockefeller to bring industry to the state. He was co-founder of the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Shelton moved his family to Memphis in 1962. He joined the Downtown Association as executive director and began his leadership of downtown revitalization efforts. He later became president of the Downtown Association.
In 1965, he joined Leader Federal and became executive vice president ... He served as officer and member of many boards, including those of the Mid-South Fair, the Memphis in May International Festival of 1976, Opera Memphis, the Memphis Rotary Club, the Memphis Symphony, the Pink Palace Museum, Goodwill Industries, the Beale Street National Landmark Designation Committee, the Society for Association Executives, numerous action committees for downtown development and the Memphis Arts Council....
--Extracted from the lead obituary in The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tennessee, March 19, 1995.
William Edward Shelton III, a retired Leader Federal executive, civic leader and downtown revitalization visionary who helped spur development of Mud Island park and the Mid-America Mall, died of lymphoma Friday at Baptist Memorial Hospital East. He was 74.
During a visit to Vicksburg, Miss., after viewing a model of the Mississippi River, he conceived the idea of the Mud Island riverwalk and the scale model of the river. The project became a reality after receiving widespread support throughout the community.
"He could never be involved in anything without seeing how much better it could be if people would become inspired to work together," said his wife, Mary Hadfield Shelton. "He thought the status quo was the saddest thing in the world because standing still is really moving backward.
"He did it for the benefit of people -- not a person, not a bank, not somebody's coffers -- but people."
Said Gov. Don Sundquist, "Bill Shelton was a visionary and made a big difference in many lives, including mine."
Services will be a 10 a.m. Monday at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Graveside services will be a 1 p.m. Tuesday in Maplewood Cemetery in Mayfield, Ky.
Born and raised in Mayfield, Mr. Shelton was a graduate of Murray State University and was director of their Campus Lights productions. He was also leader of the Bill Shelton orchestra.
He was a Naval Air Corps pilot during World War II and was wingman for Duke Windsor, the first pilot to break the sound barrier.
He received his master's degree from the University of Illinois, where he again organized an orchestra, later voted the "Best College Dance Band in America." While there, he met and married Mary Hadfield, a popular singer ... After graduation, Mr. Shelton returned to Mayfield, where he became president of the Rotary Club, a member of the City Council, president of the Chamber of Commerce and chairman and founder of the Mayfield Planning Commission and Graves County Development Commission.
He moved to Camden, Ark., where he was executive director of the Chamber of Commerce and a member of the speakers' bureau established by then-governor Winthrop Rockefeller to bring industry to the state. He was co-founder of the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Shelton moved his family to Memphis in 1962. He joined the Downtown Association as executive director and began his leadership of downtown revitalization efforts. He later became president of the Downtown Association.
In 1965, he joined Leader Federal and became executive vice president ... He served as officer and member of many boards, including those of the Mid-South Fair, the Memphis in May International Festival of 1976, Opera Memphis, the Memphis Rotary Club, the Memphis Symphony, the Pink Palace Museum, Goodwill Industries, the Beale Street National Landmark Designation Committee, the Society for Association Executives, numerous action committees for downtown development and the Memphis Arts Council....
--Extracted from the lead obituary in The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tennessee, March 19, 1995.
William Shelton had vision for future
William Edward Shelton III, a retired Leader Federal executive, civic leader and downtown revitalization visionary who helped spur development of Mud Island park and the Mid-America Mall, died of lymphoma Friday at Baptist Memorial Hospital East. He was 74.
During a visit to Vicksburg, Miss., after viewing a model of the Mississippi River, he conceived the idea of the Mud Island riverwalk and the scale model of the river. The project became a reality after receiving widespread support throughout the community.
"He could never be involved in anything without seeing how much better it could be if people would become inspired to work together," said his wife, Mary Hadfield Shelton. "He thought the status quo was the saddest thing in the world because standing still is really moving backward.
"He did it for the benefit of people -- not a person, not a bank, not somebody's coffers -- but people."
Said Gov. Don Sundquist, "Bill Shelton was a visionary and made a big difference in many lives, including mine."
Services will be a 10 a.m. Monday at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Graveside services will be a 1 p.m. Tuesday in Maplewood Cemetery in Mayfield, Ky.
Born and raised in Mayfield, Mr. Shelton was a graduate of Murray State University and was director of their Campus Lights productions. He was also leader of the Bill Shelton orchestra.
He was a Naval Air Corps pilot during World War II and was wingman for Duke Windsor, the first pilot to break the sound barrier.
He received his master's degree from the University of Illinois, where he again organized an orchestra, later voted the "Best College Dance Band in America." While there, he met and married Mary Hadfield, a popular singer ... After graduation, Mr. Shelton returned to Mayfield, where he became president of the Rotary Club, a member of the City Council, president of the Chamber of Commerce and chairman and founder of the Mayfield Planning Commission and Graves County Development Commission.
He moved to Camden, Ark., where he was executive director of the Chamber of Commerce and a member of the speakers' bureau established by then-governor Winthrop Rockefeller to bring industry to the state. He was co-founder of the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Shelton moved his family to Memphis in 1962. He joined the Downtown Association as executive director and began his leadership of downtown revitalization efforts. He later became president of the Downtown Association.
In 1965, he joined Leader Federal and became executive vice president ... He served as officer and member of many boards, including those of the Mid-South Fair, the Memphis in May International Festival of 1976, Opera Memphis, the Memphis Rotary Club, the Memphis Symphony, the Pink Palace Museum, Goodwill Industries, the Beale Street National Landmark Designation Committee, the Society for Association Executives, numerous action committees for downtown development and the Memphis Arts Council....
--Extracted from the lead obituary in The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tennessee, March 19, 1995.
William Edward Shelton III, a retired Leader Federal executive, civic leader and downtown revitalization visionary who helped spur development of Mud Island park and the Mid-America Mall, died of lymphoma Friday at Baptist Memorial Hospital East. He was 74.
During a visit to Vicksburg, Miss., after viewing a model of the Mississippi River, he conceived the idea of the Mud Island riverwalk and the scale model of the river. The project became a reality after receiving widespread support throughout the community.
"He could never be involved in anything without seeing how much better it could be if people would become inspired to work together," said his wife, Mary Hadfield Shelton. "He thought the status quo was the saddest thing in the world because standing still is really moving backward.
"He did it for the benefit of people -- not a person, not a bank, not somebody's coffers -- but people."
Said Gov. Don Sundquist, "Bill Shelton was a visionary and made a big difference in many lives, including mine."
Services will be a 10 a.m. Monday at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Graveside services will be a 1 p.m. Tuesday in Maplewood Cemetery in Mayfield, Ky.
Born and raised in Mayfield, Mr. Shelton was a graduate of Murray State University and was director of their Campus Lights productions. He was also leader of the Bill Shelton orchestra.
He was a Naval Air Corps pilot during World War II and was wingman for Duke Windsor, the first pilot to break the sound barrier.
He received his master's degree from the University of Illinois, where he again organized an orchestra, later voted the "Best College Dance Band in America." While there, he met and married Mary Hadfield, a popular singer ... After graduation, Mr. Shelton returned to Mayfield, where he became president of the Rotary Club, a member of the City Council, president of the Chamber of Commerce and chairman and founder of the Mayfield Planning Commission and Graves County Development Commission.
He moved to Camden, Ark., where he was executive director of the Chamber of Commerce and a member of the speakers' bureau established by then-governor Winthrop Rockefeller to bring industry to the state. He was co-founder of the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Shelton moved his family to Memphis in 1962. He joined the Downtown Association as executive director and began his leadership of downtown revitalization efforts. He later became president of the Downtown Association.
In 1965, he joined Leader Federal and became executive vice president ... He served as officer and member of many boards, including those of the Mid-South Fair, the Memphis in May International Festival of 1976, Opera Memphis, the Memphis Rotary Club, the Memphis Symphony, the Pink Palace Museum, Goodwill Industries, the Beale Street National Landmark Designation Committee, the Society for Association Executives, numerous action committees for downtown development and the Memphis Arts Council....
--Extracted from the lead obituary in The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tennessee, March 19, 1995.
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