Joe “Max “Shelton
Joe “Max “Shelton, 84, passed away Sunday, March 17 after a sudden brain hemorrhage a few days beforehand. Up until the moment of his stroke he was doing the things he loved doing – mentoring and supporting people at his law firm, Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh, having lunch at Mcewen’s at his designated table, doing the daily crossword puzzle, and caring for his wife of 45 years, Sally Weir Shelton.
In addition to Sally, Max is survived by three children, two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren. They include Suzanne Crofts Shelton (Corinne and granddaughter Chloé), Adam Weir Shelton and John Kent “Jack” Shelton (Grace, grandson Wolf and granddaughter Georgia).
Max was the oldest of four siblings, all of whom he leaves behind: Sid Shelton (Robbie Limpert and children Terry, Lynn and Sandy), Jim Shelton (Virginia and daughter Laura) and Gay Robinson (children Jay and Tish). He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph “Joe” Davenport Shelton and Savilla “Sue” Prince Shelton.
Max’s parents were both high school teachers in the small East Tennessee town of Calhoun, where he grew up. Max was not only a gifted baseball and basketball player, he was a shrewd entrepreneur (though he would have never called himself that). When he was a young teen, the Bowaters paper mill was under construction in Calhoun, and Max figured out he could buy Coca-colas and ice, display them all artfully in a wagon, and sell them for a profit to the thirsty construction workers. He invested that money in a motor scooter he used to deliver The Chattanooga Times and Chattanooga Free Press (morning and afternoon) – and then he passed that paper route and scooter down to his siblings. He was also a camper and counselor at YMCA Camp Ocoee and passed that experience down to his siblings as well. He used all of these earnings to purchase a waterski boat (foreshadowing his later-in-life pursuits of sailing and flying) and to contribute significantly to his college education.
Max graduated from the University of Tennessee’s Law School in 1964, the year before Medicare was signed into law. Max didn’t know it at the time, but he would go on to pioneer the field of health care law. As was true to his character, rather than keeping what he was learning to himself, he trained other lawyers throughout Tennessee, so they could all work together better in service of the health care industry and its patients. He personally represented Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis his entire career and enjoyed it thoroughly.
A memorial service will be held for Max on Tuesday, April 2 at 3:00 PM in the Grand Ballroom of the University Club, 1346 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN, 38104. Though he would be embarrassed to be the center of attention, his family intends to share their favorite stories of Max and would love to hear stories from others who loved him, too.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation at www.bmhgiving.org.