(c)2009 NPT PHOTO BY DAVID POPIEL

Dad Arthur Shelton attended a family get-together during high school graduation
time at the Sagebrush. Arthur's sons are Mike, at left, and Larry "Yogi" Shelton.
Their brother, Tommy, died in Jan. 1994.

Spring gave way to summer with a mighty snarl of thunderstorms sending tree limbs flying in our hometown while flooding gardens and garages before turning up the sizzle.

The first day of summer and Father's Day coincide and that makes sense since dads usually love the outdoors and appreciate that new grill you bought. It gives me a chance to chat about one such man you know. I've seen this fellow at Arby's, hanging around Newport, with Willie Green at Newport Printing, and, years ago, walking along North Street but I never really knew much about Arthur Shelton. It wasn't until a chance meeting with his son, Mike Shelton, in May that led to a long talk with Arthur last week. Many months ago, Mike had submitted opinion pieces for publication in the Plain Talk. I didn't know him and was leary of his viewpoint, but he assured me he was really from Newport and people knew the family.

And you do know the Sheltons; perhaps you have worked with them, gone to school or served in the military with family members. The elder Shelton, Arthur wears his years well and will celebrate his 79th on August 9. He is the son of Robert and Ella (Burgess) Shelton of Irish Cut, where he was raised and went to school with such young troublemakers as John Harper. They used to hang around the Flint Ray grocery in the small community east of Newport off Asheville Highway. Robert farmed and provided for 11 children of which only Arthur and his sister, Evelyn, survive. Evelyn Hopkins lives in Greenville, South Carolina. The Memorial building was under construction, when Arthur was born in 1930. Grandpa Garrett Shelton was a foreman at the Tannery. When Arthur turned 16, he left Newport and worked in a grocery in Greenville for $13 per week. Boarding with his brother, Dale, an opportunity in a cabinet shop opened and paid him 75 cents per hour. When old enough, Arthur enlisted in Army Airborne, made parachute jumps and spent his years at Ft. Bragg. He married Mary Ann Massey of Irish Cut and Mike was born in 1952 while at the fort. After his stint, he joined Enka and learned powerhouse operations where he worked until retiring in 1992 after 40 years and 13 days.

"When I tell people I was a fireman, I mean I made fires." The plant received 10 to 12 100-ton railcar shipments of coal daily to fire the boilers. Turbines made electricity and some boilers made steam for nylon and polyesther processing. Some of his co-workers from those years included Carson Barnes, Ray Lee, and Herbert Wiley. When Arthur wasn't working, he enjoyed time with his family, especially taking them about town such as to Kay's drive-in for banana splits. The Sheltons eventually filled the fold with four children who also included Larry, Janet Lee, and Tommy. After raising the children, Mary Ann went to work at Electro-Voice, and later Newline/Kroehler, Berkline and still works today at Wal-Mart. Tommy spent a couple of years in the Air Force, Peace Corps in Yemen, taught English and loved foreign languages. He died in 1994. Larry is the athlete in the family and excelled in baseball and could have played college ball but went to work instead, married Lydia and became a dad. Their children are Paul, an ETSU grad, and Amber, who just graduated from CCHS. You don't see Janet Lee Newbill because she lives near Millington. As a young women she was in he Navy band for about nine years and is an accomplished keyboardist, teaching music at home.

Mike entered the Navy in 1970 at the height of the Vietnam War, got into aviation maintenance, then was awarded a scholarship to Auburn, He was able to qualify for pilot training at Pensacola, Florida, and eventually flew F-14A Tomcats. Mike and wife, Ann, live in Stafford, Virginia, and have two children: Michael, a Navy F/A-18C pilot; and Heather, a legislative affairs analyst.

I should say at this point that many of you know Larry as "Yogi." Arthur explained that when he was a small fry, he loved carrying around his Yogi bear so Farley Haynes nicknamed him "Yogi." The nickname I wanted to know about was why people referred to Arthur as "Mayor of Northport." After he was divorced, Arthur lived off Warford Road and often walked to Newport along North Street. WNPC News Director Ray Snader would spot Arthur and honk and eventually started calling him "Mayor." So now you know the rest of the story.

While he enjoyed time with his children, and later grandchildren, and his great grandchild, Lilly Ann, born Aug. 2008, he also followed local racing at the fairgrounds. He recalled being able to watch the famous Fireball Roberts race in Newport. During the 1960s, Arthur coached Little League baseball and the Tigers for a few years. "When you retire, you will ask, 'how did I ever have time to work?'" During my chat with Mike, who is a strong conservative Republican, I asked him how this could be since Dad leaned to Democrat politics. Arthur answered that question when he said, "I told them all I'll never tell you how to vote and they don't tell me. I vote both ways."

For the past 10 years, as of July 30, Arthur has been married to the former Eva Butler, of Bogard, She retired as a schoolteacher in Baltimore and they live in Newport. He has been a good Dad. Some things I learned about Dad came from Mike who said hunting and fishing were popular pastimes, and eventually Mike became a decent squirrel hunter, now collects guns, and is a strong Second Amendment advocate, like Dad.

In plain talk, the good fathers are often reflections of their hardworking and family-loving fathers and grandfathers.