Sources |
- [S104] Cocke County, Tennessee, and its People, Cocke County Heritage Book Committee, (Walsworth Publishing, 1992), 168, 230, 232, 233.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 1 Feb 2013.
The family that runs together always finishes first
Author: David Popiel
On a cold November morning last year, the Shelton family runners bundled up for their five-mile jog at Newport City Park. From left are Larry "Yogi" and Lydia Shelton; daughter Amber Shelton; Sarah and Paul Shelton, who is the Sheltons' son.
A family that runs well
You've seen a photo in the Plain Talk last spring showing a couple of women chugging up hill near Subway Restaurant, Cosby Hwy., in the rain. Lydia Shelton and Ann Ward are running partners and that's important when you are training to run a marathon of 26-plus miles. Later in the year I discovered that the entire Shelton family are now runners and there are other marathoners. "The kids" were the motivators for Lydia, and then the running clan convinced Lydia's husband, Larry Shelton to join the circuit. It seemed like an interesting story so last fall we met at Newport City Park where they were doing a long weekend run bundled up against the cold. You have had several points of contact with the family because Lydia is a long-time employee at Cocke County Clerk Janice Butler's office. And, Larry, better known as "Yogi" has worked with many of you at local plants and part-time at Newport Walmart so let me tell you a little more about the family and about their running ways.
Yogi grew up in Newport the son of Arthur and Mary Ann Shelton in Northport. You are going back to a time when Henry Gregory's mother was Northport principal. You know Arthur as the "Mayor of Northport." Their other children are son, retired military Mike "Oilhead" Shelton, and daughter, Janet Newbill. She is a music teacher in Memphis. Mike has written some columns for the Plain Talk and that's how I got to know him. Those who know the family may have been friends with the other child, the late Tommy Shelton, who died in 1994.
Yogi has always loved playing baseball and was one of Coach "Pappy" Darrell Crowe's varsity ballplayers. Larry got the nickname from being called "Larry Bear" and then just Yogi at third base. He graduated in 1971 but continued to coach and officiate baseball. When we talked he was wearing a black coat with White Sox logos, his favorite team. He admits to being a baseball fanatic and for the past 18 years is affiliated with TSSAA. His appreciation of the White Sox major leaguers may have influenced because as a youngster he played Little League ball at City Park for the little White Sox. Arthur Shelton and R.J. Tucker were his coaches and later Scott Gorrell's father coached too.
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 8 Feb 2013.
Just Plain Talk: Good Samaritan helped Otis find his way back home
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Cancer only slowed him down
Last week we began talking with Larry "Yogi" and Lydia Shelton about their passion for running and how the sport is helping Yogi recover from early 2012 colon cancer surgery.
As I mentioned, Yogi has always been a worker and cancer did not slow him down for long. We will talk more about this soon. Workers from the Newline Furniture plant might recall him as a young man, and then he joined Berkline in Morristown for 19 years where he handled steam boiler operations. When the plant shutdown, he was able to join ConAgra in Newport. "For me, the Berkline closing was good. I got a better job and less driving." He works in Van Camp bean processing; loves the work and appreciates his co-workers and the ConAgra company. Because both Lydia and Yogi live in Northport they are a short jog to work.
It is true that Lydia has been running for more years than Yogi, and I did not ask who is the fastest, as not to provoke an argument. What seems to have motivated him was a cancer diagnoses in March 2012. Yogi had some stomach ailments that caused him to get a colonoscopy at Newport Medical Center by Dr. Thomas Bolling. I am a big fan of this surgeon having been invited into the operating room years ago to watch a gallbladder extraction he performed. "He is awesome," said Yogi. Fortunately, the baseball-size tumor was a non-aggressive form of colon cancer and required no chemotherapy after surgery and thanks to the professional staff at Newport Medical Center. By September, Yogi started running with Lydia and the kids: Amber, 21, a senior at East Tennessee State University, and Paul, a coach and teacher. Given muscle soreness and injuries often suffered by runners, it's a good thing that Amber is studying to be a physical therapist and plans to graduate December 2013 from the Quillen School of Medicine.
Always good to seek therapy
Speaking of physical therapy, I had to return for more back attention after coughing so much during the recent bout of viruses I pulled muscles. I am in the good hands of Dr. Megan Stinson, who told me she is expecting her second child in June. Also working with me again, is Jenny Zmich, and as you know her father and Plain Talk friend Lenny Zmich died just days ago of pancreatic cancer. At Brown Funeral Home where friends and family gathered Jan. 27, many kind, funny, loving, and true words were spoken by reverends Rich Lloyd, Mike Hensley, Edwin Franks, and also Lenny's close friends William "Bill" Shults and Jim Cole Overholt.
So Yogi is free of cancer and becoming an avid runner himself putting in four miles at a clip three times per week at age 59. He has been inspired by the Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church program, "Run for God." Yogi ran his first five kilometer in December in Newport and another in Knoxville January 1, Calhoun's 5K. It was an easy race taking about 33 minutes and he felt good even though an 84-year-old runner beat Yogi by five minutes. Yogi's running causes him to drink more water and Gatorade and keeps him hungrier but weight gain has not been a problem. He also likes the support and comfort when the family runs together, including Paul's wife, Sarah.
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