Marzella Catherine Skelton, daughter of the late John Franklin and Mary  Catherine Smith Heldermon was born in Bridgeport, Oklahoma on September 14,  1914, and passed away at the Puxico Nursing and Rehab Center in Puxico,  Missouri on April 1, 2012, at the age of 97.

She moved to Puxico in 1940. She has been a member of the Puxico Christian Church for 63 years. She enjoyed writing poetry, quilting and singing.

On September 11, 1940 she was married to Fred Skelton in Sarah, Oklahoma.  After 53 years of marriage, Fred passed away January 22, 1993.

Surviving are two daughters and sons-in –law, Doris Ann and Charles Hedspeth of Puxico and Reita Fay and Phil LeBeau of Dexter; five  grandchildren and spouses, Delisa and Eric Sitze, Tracy and Brian Robison,  Clint and Hannah LeBeau, Kurt and Lindsay LeBeau, Weston and Ashley LeBeau; five great-grandchildren, Natalie and Dylan Sitze, Caleb and Logan Robison, and  Grayson LeBeau. Other relatives and friends also survive.

She was preceded in death by four brothers, Tommy, Prentiss, Frank and Ernest Heldermon; three half-brothers, Odes, Earl and Albert Heldermon; one sister, Oneta Heldermon Sisco and one half-sister, Etta Heldermon Weiss.

Visitation will be held at 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at the Puxico Christian Church in Puxico. Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at the Puxico Christian Church with the Rev. Wiley McGhee, the Rev. Todd Allen of Poplar Bluff and the Rev. Bobby Nordack of Puxico, officiating.

Interment will be in the Puxico Cemetery in Puxico, Missouri with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Puxico, in charge of arrangements.