Nelle Shelman
1926-2016


Nashville, TN - Nelle Shelman, 89, Nashville, Tennessee formerly of Cameron, Missouri, passed away on August 20, 2016. She was a Texas girl, born on October 3, 1926 in Ft. Worth, the third child of loving parents and the baby sister of two adoring older brothers.
Nelle's life was multi-faceted. She grew up during the Depression, yet her life was full with family, friends, and fun.
She was a theater major at the University of Texas, where one of her friends and frequent dates was Fess Parker! She was a great beauty, becoming a UT Bluebonnet Belle, and was named a Locker Queen at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. After college she headed for New York City, where among other jobs she modeled for Bloomingdales. During the time she worked for TWA in NY she met her first husband. They had two daughters and later moved to Kansas City.
When in KC Nelle found great success as a realtor. She rose to become one of the top sales people in the KC area.
A few years later Nelle met and married her second husband, Floyd Shelman. They and her girls moved to Cameron, MO, where she found a new life with Floyd. She taught him all she knew about real estate and they established a successful real estate company.
After many years she saw an opportunity to again try something new. She and Floyd bought a truck stop, and Nelle built its restaurant into a local and nation-wide destination for travelers and truckers. This period of her life gave her the deepest satisfaction of all of her life experiences.
After Floyd's death she found yet another new life back in the South, living in Tennessee, making new friends and loving her time with her family there and in NY.
Nelle was a remarkable woman who had a profound effect on everyone she met. She will be deeply missed by her daughters Nancy Harris (Jerry) of Nashville, TN, and Daphne Cornell (Ezra) of Ithaca, NY. She was very proud of her six grandchildren, Shannyn Garcia, Katy Cornell, Kelsey Walny, Alie Done, Colin Cornell, and Jackie Cornell, and her great-grandchild Marion Cornell.
Graveside Service: 11:00 AM, Friday, August 26, 2016 at Christian Chapel Cemetery, EE Highway, Cameron. In lieu of flowers, donations to Christian Chapel Cemetery and/or Missouri Veteran’s Home Assistance League, Cameron. Donations may be sent to Poland-Thompson Funeral Home, 222 W. Third Street Cameron, MO. Online condolences: www.polandthompson.com.

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