2016 | Shelton Memorial Planting Bed Installed
Brentwood neighbors Sidney Paschal Shelton, 85, and his wife, Billie Jean Wier Shelton, 83, lived on Brentwood Street across from the school for 57 years and were active in the neighborhood. Quite tragically and suddenly, they died together in their home on December 15, 2014. Six days later, family members, friends, and neighbors attended a ceremony honoring the Sheltons at the Brentwood Park pavilion and dedicated the annual lighting of the Arroyo Seco luminarias in their memory.
Soon after news spread, neighbors raised funds for a memorial bench honoring the Sheltons, and a park bench was installed in a peaceful spot near a tree 2015 between the playscape and baseball diamond in Brentwood Park.
During the spring 2016 It’s My Park Day event, a new memorial planting bed was created around the Shelton bench. The limestone hardscape that surrounds the plating bed (and also the Welcome Bed) were brought over from the Shelton home by family members. A poetic farewell plaque was also added to the setting.
Several Shelton family members and neighborhood volunteers stayed late after IMPD to finish the new flower bed installation. Special thanks went to Marie Taylor, who put the project together and worked with the Parks and Recreation Department to get approval. Marie was the Shelton’s next door neighbor and a dedicated FOBP team leader.
Shelton family members occasionally come in from out of town to help maintain the Shelton bed at the memorial bench.
