Salinda Ann (Shelton) Wellman

Salinda Ann Wellman, née Shelton of Longview went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, March 30, 2021 at the age of 91. Salinda was one of five children born to Joseph and Ada Salinda Shelton of Oklahoma.

Growing up during the Great Depression taught her many valuable lessons about how to get by with little and she passed those lessons down to her children and grandchildren. In 1947, after World War II, Salinda married her sweetheart Jim Wellman of Oklahoma and they started a family that quickly grew to include sons Paul, Michael, Keith and Forrest and daughter Salinda, who was the apple of her eye.

Salinda never met a stranger and was known to strike up conversation with people everywhere she went. She had that all-too-rare spark of joy that, when paired with her radiant smile, could light up a room. Being a woman of great faith, she embodied the Golden Rule and built lifelong friendships with many. Over the years she worked tirelessly in her local church teaching, showing hospitality and supporting her husband Jim in his leadership roles as an elder for several congregations.

Salinda was an avid lover of Texas’s native trees and wildflowers, especially the Bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes that are so prevalent in the spring. This would have been her favorite time of year. She made it a point to keep the hummingbird feeders full and would stay close to the window where she kept her hummingbird figurines to watch the tiny birds enjoy her gift. Another of her loves was homemaking and she made sure to pass her knowledge on to her family, especially the grandkids (even the boys). She enjoyed baking and cooking meals for family and friends. She also loved needlework, and often gave the grandkids lessons in crocheting, cross stich, embroidery and sewing on a button. She was known to get up well before dawn to study her bible and crochet by lamplight and the doilies, bookmarks, blankets and outfits she created and gave away will be cherished by many for years to come.

She was preceded in death by her husband Jim in January 2021, her parents, sister Beth, brothers Joe, Jr., Leroy and Ivan, daughter-in-law Cindy and son Keith from leukemia at age 19, a loss that she carried the rest of her life.

Salinda is survived by her children Paul, Mike, Salinda, and Forrest; grandchildren Jason, D’Ann, Sharon, Tina, Leah, Cody, Katelyn, Sarah, Alexandria, Keith, Skylar, Kendall and Kayla and numerous great grandchildren who knew her as Grandmother and Gigi. She often joked that she was hired for her looks but the deep and weighty life lessons she taught were heartfelt and important and will bless her family for generations. She was loved and will be greatly missed.

A memorial service May 15, 2021

[written by Family]

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