Raymond Larry Shelton

Raymond "Larry" Shelton, 78, passed away peacefully on January 22, 2020. Larry was a beloved son, husband, father, proud grandfather, friend, and scholar. In 1995, he was blessed with the gift of a new heart which gave him nearly 25 more years of life. Our family will be forever grateful to the young donor and his family. Larry was born to Reverend Raymond Samuel Shelton & Viola Hoots Shelton in Hooper's Creek, North Carolina on January 10, 1942. His father was a preacher in the Pilgrim Holiness Tradition and his mother was a teacher and an ordained deaconess in the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Larry grew up immersed in the church and later became an ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church. He always felt a strong calling to serve and minister to others. From an early age, Larry was a scholar, graduating as valedictorian from Pfeiffer College in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. He then continued his studies at Asbury Seminary, completing his Master of Divinity (M. Div.) in 1967 and his Master of Theology (Th.M.) in 1968. Finally, in 1974, he earned his Doctor of Theology (Th.D.) from Fuller Theological Seminary. Larry served for 45 years in undergraduate and graduate education at several Christian colleges and universities. He was honored to have taught at Azusa Pacific University, John Wesley College, Seattle Pacific University, and Fuller Theological Seminary (Seattle Extension). In 2013, Larry retired as the Richard B. Parker Professor of Wesleyan Theology at George Fox Evangelical Seminary (now Portland Seminary) and was honored with emeritus professor status. Upon retirement, Larry kept very active in his church community. He served as Pastor of Ministry and Leadership Development at Kessid Church. Larry's time at Kessid was very meaningful and rewarding. He loved watching the church grow and prosper while supporting its pastors, staff, and the congregation. Larry was blessed with a loving family. He married his lifetime partner Evangeline (Vangie) Deal, on August 25, 1967 in Glendora, California. Over the course of their marriage, they had the unique opportunity to work in ministry together. Larry would often tell stories of working alongside Vangie as a youth pastor in the late 1960s and how those were some of the best times of their lives. Larry and Vangie's two daughters, Annalisa and Alison, have many fond memories of camping and fishing adventures with their dad. He was a dedicated 4-H dad who spent countless hours with them in the barn and on trail rides. As an avid outdoorsman, Larry instilled a love of nature in his grandchildren. He and his grandson, Kolya, spent many afternoons hiking and whittling with their pocketknives. Larry also enjoyed attending the grandchildren's sporting events. From gymnastics and wrestling meets to dance recitals and regattas, Larry loved cheering from the sidelines. During his life Larry made an impact on many through his professorship and ministry. He loved Jesus deeply and was a true servant leader. His life was incredibly rich and full, and his insight and wisdom were gifts to many. Larry will be missed greatly by friends and family who will continue to carry on his legacy. We would like to acknowledge and express our sincere gratitude to Larry's amazing medical teams whose care added decades to his life. He was blessed to receive care from Dr. Vilhauer at The Vancouver Clinic, PeaceHealth Hospice, and the transplant teams at the University of Washington, OHSU, and Providence. He is survived by Vangie, his wife of 52 years, his daughters Annalisa and Alison, his sons-in-law Martin and Dima, and his grandchildren Kolya, Sasha, Kaia, and Caden. A private family interment was held at Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery on January 31, 2020. Larry's memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on February 29, 2020 at East Vancouver Community Church (12415 SE 7th St., Vancouver, WA 98683). All are welcome as we celebrate Larry and his incredible life.

Raymond Larry Shelton

January 10, 1942 - January 22, 2020