Posted by Peg Shelton on November 15, 2010:

I am writing on behalf of my parents, Joan and Jim Shelton (BG ret.) and my seven siblings: Patty Rasmussen, Terry Garcia, CPO James E. Shelton Jr. "Mac", LTC Paul G. Shelton, Kathleen O'Halloran, CWO Terry Allen Shelton, and Sarah Senter. Colonel Ric Ordway was our beloved "Uncle Butch" and a most beloved friend of my parents. Whenever he came to our house he got down on the floor and played with us--wrestling, laughing, holding a baby, asking about school, treating us always with love and an interest in our activities and making us laugh. We loved him because he loved our parents and was such a good friend to both of them. He made them happy and they shared many good times. But he was our friend, too. He always treated our mother, who had a crazy amount of children to care for, like she was a queen. We girls thought he was so handsome and such a snazzy dresser. The boys loved the cars that he drove. We have many stories about Uncle Butch--the best is the story of "Uncle Butch's Ring" about the time that he gave one of us his West Point class ring to play with and the ensuing multi-year search for it. Don't worry--it had a happy ending! I am now employed by the WPAOG and was so looking forward to talking with Uncle Butch on a regular basis and getting to know him as an adult--some of my siblings had that adult time with him but I hadn't been fortunate that way. I was looking forward to hearing his memories of his years here, talking about his amazing family history with West Point and getting to know his Nancy, who brought him such joy. We just wish that we could've told Uncle Butch what he meant to us, how we rejoiced in his love and affection and that we felt the same about him--times 10. We send our love to Nancy and his nephews, and we join his classmates and friends in celebrating this wonderful man. We will all be making an effort to gather in January at Arlington to share with the others who loved him in showing just how we loved him. Peg Shelton Senior Research Associate Office of Development West Point Association of Graduates peg.shelton@wpaog 845-446-1531

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