Verna Michelle “Shelly” Shackleford

Verna Michelle “Shelly” Shackleford, 63, of Evarts Entered her Heavenly home on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. She was born to Mona Ruth Madden Smith and the late Ralph Cluster Smith in Detroit, MI, on February 5, 1962.

A miracle to be alive, she was involved in a tragic car wreck that claimed the lives of her father, younger brother and the driver of the other vehicle who hit them head on, she was only 18 months old. Unknowingly, she was left inside the wreckage until someone heard a kitten and began to search and, to their surprise, found her under the dashboard of her father’s badly mangled car. The crash was so violent that a pistol stored in the glovebox discharge only inches from her head. She was held in the hospital until her aunt, Verna “Monkey” Madden, could make her way from Dizney, Ky, to Detroit to retrieve her and her mother to bring them back home.

As she grew up, Shelly would live out many different adventures in and around Bills Creek and the Dizney community. She attended church with both her grandmother, Dora Thomas Madden, at the Dizney Pentecostal Church and her grandfather, George Madden, at the Locust Grove Baptist Church alternating between services. She later began helping and later teaching the Sunday School class that she attended at Locust Grove while still a child.

Shelly met and married the love of her life, Henry Shackleford and they were married on Easter Sunday after church on April 17, 1976. In 1981, after his mining accident, they attended church together and he got saved. Together they joined Brittians Creek Missionary Baptist Church working with the youth, teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and doing anything they could to grow the church for God. Shelly also played the piano for the church for several years, and was a member of the Brittians Creek Singers who sang throughout the community at church services, revivals and funerals.

She leaves behind a legacy of mentoring and changed hundreds of children’s lives laying a foundation that will forever affect them even in eternity. One day in heaven people may approach her and say, “I’m here because of you. It was you that told me as a child about this man Jesus.” Shelly was also the owner and operator of Wet & Wild Pets in Evarts for several years. While operating the pet shop, she did educational classes with the local school to teach the children about the amazing animals we share the world with. Shelly loved to decorate and celebrate Christmas. She would enlist the help of the entire family decorating and cooking for her open house each year, inviting the community and several churches and friends to enjoy food and fellowship. She also served as an Evarts City Council member. She was a member of the Harlan County Ridge Runners and a member of the Evarts Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star for several years before her health began to decline.

In addition to her father, she is preceded in death by her aunt who helped raise her, Verna “Monkey” Madden; her infant brother, Ralph Jerome “Jerry” Smith; a half-sister, Cheryl Rowe; and her father and mother-in-law, Tom and Helen Shackleford.

Survivors include her husband, Henry L. Shackleford, Evarts; her mother, Mona Ruth Madden Smith, Harlan; three children, Veronica Carlson and husband, Carl, Virginia Beach, VA; Joshua Shackleford and wife, Shenna, Evarts; and Whitley Blair and husband, Randall, Closplint; 10 grandchildren, Victoria, Gwyneth, Danielle, Andrew and Lucas Carlson; Gavin, Ian and Vayda Shackleford; and Aiden and Keristen Blair; her brother, Bryan Joel Smith and special friend, Tracy Deihl, Bay City, Texas; and two sisters-in-law, Rena Johnson Smith, Connecticut; and Alice Fortner, Robbins Chapel, VA.

Also surviving is a host of nephews and nieces, including a special nephew and niece, Bryan Joel “Little Joe” Smith and wife, Mavel, Connecticut; and Lauren Dozier and husband, Stephen, Wallins; special great-nieces and great-nephew, Ella, Mia, Luna and Rafa; her cousins, extended relatives, and friends.