Wyona Violet Shackelford

Wyona Violet Shackelford

March 3, 1934 - April 24, 2024

TRENTON, Neb. - Wyona Violet Shackelford, age 90, of Trenton, Neb., passed away on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Community Hospital in McCook with family by her side.

She was born in Culbertson, Neb. on March 3, 1934, to Clyde and Irene (Isaac) Matson. Wyona attended and graduated from Trenton High School in 1952. While in high school she was a waitress at the Trenton Cafe. That is where she met the love of her life, Dean Shackelford.

On July 8, 1953, Wyona and Dean were united in marriage at the Hitchcock County Courthouse in Trenton. Shortly after they married, Dean was drafted into the Army and stationed in Germany. At age 19, Wyona went to New York to board a passenger ship and go to Germany to be with her husband. While at sea, the ship she was on was hit by a freightliner. The larger ship caused extensive damage to the passenger ship. The passenger ship had to be towed back to port in New York, leaving Wyona stranded alone in New York for a week while repairs were made. Dean could not be notified until the ship made port back in New York.

Wyona was a servant for the Lord. She was a cancer survivor having taken many chemotherapy treatments in Denver in the 1980’s. She said the way she made it through the treatments was with Dean holding one of her hands and Jesus holding her other hand. She was a lifetime active member of the Methodist Church, the United Methodist Women’s group, sang in the Church Choir, held many positions on the Church Council Board, and hosted Bible Study in her home. She enjoyed sewing and made several outfits for her kids as they were growing up. She embroidered, made crafts, and painted ceramics, some of which she did together with her Mom. She was an amazing cook. You never went home hungry when you left her home. She and Dean belonged to a Couple’s Card Club and MNO (Mothers Night Out) Women’s Group. Wyona had a green thumb; she could make anything grow. Wyona had a large vegetable garden and beautiful flower beds. She always shared produce and flowers that she had raised. When her children were young, she and Dean often took the family to the lake after church on Sundays where they ate a picnic lunch, then went out on the water on the pontoon for the afternoon. Dean and Wyona also started a family tradition of taking the family to the Nebraska State Fair. That has continued to be a fun tradition for the family even to this day.

Wyona loved her family dearly. She had a way of making each one of her family members feel special, and always made sure they knew how much she loved them.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde and Irene Matson; husband, Dean Shackelford; son, Jerry Shackelford; son-in-law, Spencer Sydow; great-grandson, Jared Chitwood; sister and brother-in-law, Neioma and Alan Meguire; brother, Gaylord Matson; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Virgil and Ruth Shackelford; sister-in-law and her husband, Shirley and Hank Stecker; sister-in-law and her husband, Patricia and Burdette Melchert.

Wyona is survived by four daughters: Barbara Sydow of Stratton, Neb.; Cynthia (Dave) Engel of Silver Creek, Neb.; Diane Riggs of Trenton, Neb.; Nancy (John) Thomas of Aurora, Neb.; nine grandchildren: Brian (Melissa) Sydow, Jennifer (Brad) Fries, Kody (Alyssa O’Dean) Sydow, Laurie (Ryan Matteson) Poppert, Tyrel (Lacy) Riggs, Orrin (Terra) Riggs, Nathaniel (Emma Smith) Chitwood, Michael (Hannah Luber) Chitwood, John Andrew (Aleta) Thomas, 20 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren; siblings: Gloria (Ron) Bricker of Grand Junction, Colo.; Joe (Thelma) Matson of McCook: sister-in-law, Marilyn Matson of Oshkosh, Neb.; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Duane and Grace Shackelford of Lincoln, Neb.; numerous nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.

Visitation will be at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook on Monday, April 29 from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Family will be present to greet friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Services for Wyona will be held on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at the Trenton Methodist Church in Trenton, Neb. with Pastor Alisa Parde officiating. Burial will follow in the Trenton Cemetery. Memorials may be left in Wyona’s name to the Trenton Methodist Church. Online condolences may be left at herrmannfh.com. Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel is entrusted with arrangements.