Shelton Ray Denton, 39

April 13, 2015

Shelton Ray Denton, age 39, Lancaster, passed away on Monday, April 13, 2015.
At the age of 12, Shelton was severely injured in a four-wheeling accident and was told by a doctor that he would never walk again. Not only did Shelton walk, he passionately charged forward into a life full of extraordinary adventure and remarkable accomplishment.
A 1994 graduate of Southern Nash Senior High School, Shelton was both a state champion 9-ball player and state champion debater as a teen. He went on to study at North Carolina State University, where he majored in mechanical engineering.
His acumen in engineering took him all over the world, starting with building a tobacco factory in Guatemala as a young man and continuing with travels to locations all around the globe.
Shelton did not have any hobbies. He had many passions. His interest in billiards led him to becoming a champion player who tested his skills against the likes of professionals Johnny Archer and Jeanette Lee. He was an avid poker player who read every book he could on the subject and enjoyed winning tournaments in Atlantic City as much as he loved playing games against friends. He loved sharks and beach-based shark fishing so much that he founded the New Jersey Shark Fishing Conservation Society, an organization that assisted his work as a certified National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program participant.
Shelton was a great fan of outlaw country musicians like Johnny Cash, David Allan Coe, and Hank Williams III, the last two of whom he met in person after performances. He was also an auto racing enthusiast, following NASCAR, IndyCar, and F1. He once had lunch with his favorite driver, Jimmy Johnson, and on two occasions shook hands with Daytona 500 champion Joey Logano just before Logano went on to take the checkered flag.
Shelton had a hunger for life but made sure his friends never went hungry. His culinary skills were legendary among his friends, and he was especially famous for his skills on the grill, specializing in beef brisket and East Carolina style barbecue pork shoulder.
He was loved by many and will be missed by so many friends in Lancaster County and far beyond. Along with his beloved family in North Carolina, Shelton’s family in Pennsylvania included his greatest achievement, his son, Blaise. He was extremely loyal to everyone he loved and was known to drop everything to help a friend in need.
Shelton was preceded in death by his father, Shelton “Pee Wee” Denton, and is survived by his mother, Brenda Morgan Clark and stepfather, Randy Clark, of Greenville, N.C.; his wife, Sarah Richard Denton and his son, Blaise Richard Denton of Lancaster.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at Snyder Funeral Home, 414 E King St., Lancaster, PA with visitation beginning at 1:00 p.m. Friends and family are encouraged to attend this celebration of an incredible life.