Funeral services for Mrs. Sara Valena Beatty Shelton, Wednesday, March 16, 1994, two o'clock in the afternoon, Watkins, Garrett, Woods Mortuary, Greenville, South Carolina, the Reverend Joseph Adair and the Reverend W.T. Holmes, officiating

Elk, South Carolina

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Sarah Valena Beatty Shelton, born July 29,

1919 to Jeremiah Morgan Beatty and Mary Lucille Sims,

received her early education at Fairfield County Training

School in Winnsboro and at Brainerd Institute in Chester,

South Carolina.

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Soon after graduating magna cum laude from

Benedict College in Columbia in 1940, Sara began

teaching at Schofield School in Aiken. In 1944, she

married LeRoy Anthony "Tony" Shelton of Columbia and ty

began work on her graduate degree at Atlanta University *

and at Columbia University. She continued to touch the S*

lives of children and their families as both teacher and

friend at Brewer High in Greenwood and Sterling High, ^

Oscar Street and Nicholtown Schools in Greenville. She n*

enriched the lives of more than 1500 students through ry

her commitment to excellence in classroom instruction

until 1969 when she became Elementary Supervisor with er

the School District of Greenville County. In 1968, she *

received a Masters of Education from Furman University. 5

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Saras career in education included graduate in

struction at Furman University, a principalship at

Normwood Elementary, and elemantary education and

classroom organization and management consultancies <

with the School District. After retirement in 1981, she j

continued to provide support and encouragement ,

children and their families.

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; In 1985, Sara was the first African American female elected to the South Carolina House of Repre sentatives. During two terms in the Legislature, she served as Deputy Majority Whip and member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Cultural Affairs. She was also a member of the Advisory Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, the Education and Public Works Committee, the National Council of State Legis lators Health and Human Resources Committee and the Education Improvement Acts Select Committee.
Sara served a number of institution through board memberships including the Board of Trustees of Benedict ^ollege and Grady H. Hipp Nursing Home. As an active E|fember of the American Association of University Women, the League of Women Voters and various ^jiucation associations she continued to demonstrate
T commitment to community. She was also a member Greenvilles Democratic Women and served as a delegate to the 1988 Democratic National Convention.
Sara has received numerous awards, honors and distinctions and was an active member and elder of Mattoon Presbyterian Church.
She is survived by her daughter, Sara-Valena Beatty Shelton-Scott, her son-in-law, Roderick Scott, and three granddaughters, Sara-Valena, Jordan Elizabeth and Bradlea-Roi; a sister, Emma Beatty Blake of Tallahassee, Florida and a nephew, Paul Beatty, Jr. of Columbia; a host of other relatives, a multitude of friends, the good work of her life, the abundance of her charity and the touch of her love and kindness.

Justine Adair Geraldine Anderson Henrietta Bradford
Mary Beck Betty Childers Helen Lenhardt Molly Lowe Winfred Lykes Helen Merritt Blanche Mclver Myrtle Pickens Genevieve Randolph Blanche Zirnmerman Bennie Seawright
fearers
Dean E. Jones James Lanier John Lykes Ralph Martin, Sr. Zoel Taylor Mitch Washington Sam Zirnmerman
Services Entrusted To The Care Of Watkins, Garrett, Woods Mortuary
1011 Augusta Street Greenville, South Carolina
242-1144