FORT SMITH, ARK. Carole Adams Shelby, 85, passed into the arms of her heavenly Father Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at Pocola Health and Rehab.
Carole was born Tuesday, April 30, 1940, in Fort Worth, Texas, to Ralph and Mildred Adams. The family lived in Arlington, Texas until Carole was 12 years old when she moved to Odessa, Texas with her mother and younger brother, after her mother accepted a teaching position there. The first night in Odessa, there was no air conditioner in the house and the windows were left open for the nice breeze. By morning, a sandstorm had blown through during the night and there was an inch of sand in the bathtub. She attended Bowie Middle School and graduated from Odessa High School (Class of 1958).
Carole graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1962 as a Consumer Sciences major and was a member of The Alpha Omega Chapter of Delta Gamma. For many years after graduation, she was active in Delta Gamma and the vision screening programs that are part of the Delta Gamma mission. She often traveled to the national conventions and kept in contact with many of the members.
One of the benefits of Carole attending the University of Arkansas was the ability to travel back to Arlington, Texas on weekends to see her beloved grandmother, Eula. After graduating, Carole lived in Houston with three of her sorority sisters where she began dating Gary Shelby, who had moved to Houston after also graduating from the U of A.
Gary worked at Foley's downtown Houston department store and Carole's job as a typist was downtown as well. After two months of dating, Gary and Carole were married in Houston on Sept. 8, 1962, and spent 54 wonderful years together until he preceded her in death in 2017. In addition to living in Houston, Gary and Carole also lived in San Antonio, Texas, Stone Mountain, Ga., and Fayetteville, N.Y., as they moved around the country for Gary's job. After retirement they settled in Gary's hometown, Fort Smith, Ark., in December 1999.
Carole worked in picture framing for several years. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, baking, tennis, and golf in retirement. She was also an avid bridge player with her friends and enjoyed Welcome Neighbor and her church family.
In addition to her husband Gary, Carole is also preceded in death by her father, Ralph Adams; mother, Mildred Adams; grandparents, John Henry and Eula Pilant; aunt and uncle, Louise and Happy King; and great-great aunt, Lena Arnold Schermerhorn.
She is survived by two sons, Mark Edward Shelby of Dallas and Steven Eric Shelby of Fort Smith; one brother, William (Bill) Adams of Odessa, Texas; nephew, Benjamin Adams (Nichole) and children, Braden and Gillian; cousins, Kay King (Tom Patton) and daughters, Ashley Atkins and family, Audra Moore (Tommy) and family, Rachel Slosson (Seann) and family; brother-in-law, John Shelby (Pam) and children, Adrienne Furstenberg (Don), Ryan Shelby, Cara Shelby and fiancé, Javier Hernandez; cousins, Marr Lynn Bearden and family; and Patsy Keith and family.
The Shelby Family would like to express their love and gratitude to the wonderful people at Butterfield Place (Morada), Around The Clock, Methodist Village, and most especially Pocola Health and Rehab for the loving, kind, and compassionate care provided to Carole in her last years.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 19, 2025, at St. Luke Lutheran Church 5401 Free Ferry Road in Fort Smith with the Rev. Tom Helmich officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Arkansas College of Health Education (ACHE) 7000 Chad Colley Blvd, Fort Smith, AR 72916 or Community Rescue Mission 310 North F Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901. Interment will be at Rose Lawn Cemetery at a later date.
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