Shelton Harry Wade Jr

Shelton Wade was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend. He was born in Washington, DC, to Laura M. Young (Stewart Brewer) and later adopted by Shelton H. Wade and Rosie Wade. He left home to drive trucks, then went into the Army and served in Vietnam during the War in the 101 Airborne Division. He later returned to work at the Military District of Washington Cameron Station in Alexandria, VA, as a Dispatcher/ Superintendent, and at the Federal Labor Relations Authority as the Director of Transportation/ Mail Room, where he met Elaine, who was working at OPM. Their love was a bond that would center Christ first, and He made them a three-strand cord for their journey together, restoring Shelton’ s relationships with God and his children. Shelton’s love of trucks forged his creation of Wade & Sons Trucking. He later worked at Attack Pest Control and Fishing Creek Marina.

His love of fishing was innate. He always owned a boat, and getting out on the water was his Zen space. There was never a time when he got “skunked” (a term for not catching a fish). He knew the bay like the back of his hand, knew when to chase the birds and get to the perfect spot in the middle of the Bay to catch the fish, and would clean and cook them, add potatoes and onions, and present a feast.

Shelton was an extremely gifted man. As a young boy, he would completely take apart his toys and gadgets and put them all back together to see how they worked. He didn’t ’t need manuals; he could just look at something or simply “touch” it and fix it.

Shelton is survived by his wife, Elaine; brother Don Simmons (Shirley); sister-in-law Carolyn Brewer (John); his children: Michael Parker, Latitia Darden (Maurice), Norman Wade (Karen), Stephanie Wade, Mark Wade (Theresa), Tracey Wade, and Heather Wade; 17 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his brothers Stewart R. Brewer, William Brewer, Jay Nathan Brewer, James Wade (Dorothy), sister Jean Wade, and son Christopher Wade. His legacy of fishing and fixing anything will live on forever, and as the poem goes: 

“God, grant that I may live to fish

until my dying day 

And when it comes to my last cast

I then most humbly pray

 When in the Lord’ s safe landing net

 I’m peacefully asleep 

That in His mercy I be judged 

as big enough to keep. ”-Author unknown