Mary Elizabeth Shelton, 63, lived an extraordinary ordinary life. Those of us who love her will always remember the innumerable ways she changed our lives with her gentle, loving presence. When she went to sleep on January 20th, she awoke to greet the face of her Savior.  

Born on January 17th, 1961, Mary grew up in the community of Catholic families in Burien, attending St. Francis Catholic School. Her best memories included spending all summer in their pool, roaming around in bicycle gangs, and eating as much candy and popcorn as she could at the Burien Theater, owned and operated by her father. She spent her youth working at her family’s restaurants in Seattle, while attending Holy Names Academy and West Seattle High School.

She met her husband, Steve, at a diving class in 1981, and they spent a lifetime together camping, hiking, and relaxing around campfires. Together they built a hugely successful massage and craniosacral therapy business which helped thousands of people get out of pain. While working full-time, she still managed to care for both of her aging parents, attend daily Mass, volunteer, host gatherings and Sunday dinners, and raise her daughter and best friend, Margaret. Her deep devotion to Jesus led her to work for the Catholic Church for many years, where she touched countless souls with her simple kindness, respect, and joy.

Mary traveled all her life, but her greatest adventure was her six-month backpacking “Trip Down Under” through Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji in 1980. She later spent four months driving through every one of the 48 United States with her dear friend, Jo. Later in life, she swam in the ocean in Mexico, explored churches and castles in Germany and Austria, skied in Canada, and got remarried on Valentine’s Day in Rome. Her favorite places in the world were the Kohala Coast and Kauai’s East Coast in Hawaii and Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.

She faced every challenge in life with courage, grit, and grace. She was a tireless champion for underdogs: the poor, the unborn, the lonely, the tired, the misunderstood. She made everyone feel special and seen. After retiring in 2019, she spent most of her time with her three beloved grandchildren, who dearly loved their “Gigi.” She and Steve moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2023 to be with Margaret and her husband Dane, whom she loved like her own son.

She is survived by her husband who loved her for 43 years, Steve, brothers John and Bob, daughter Margaret (Dane) and daughter of her heart Alice (Matt), as well as grandchildren Zelie, Beaux, and Lachlan.