Leonard Eston Shelnutt, 93, of Clyde died Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at his home. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday. November 16, 2018 at the Cowboy Heritage Church in Clyde under the direction of Bailey Howard Funeral Home of Clyde. Burial will follow in Clyde Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Eston was born February 24, 1925 in Callahan County to Lonzo and Lela (Jones) Shelnutt. After graduating from Clyde High School in 1943, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Normandy, France in the European Air Offensive. While serving in the U.S. Army, Eston was a part of four battles involving Normandy, including the D-Day Invasion. During his service he received four bronze stars, a Good Conduct Medal and a WWII Victory Medal. After returning from the service he married Marnell (Nell) Brown in Abilene on March 1, 1946. He and his father, Lonzo, owned Shelnutt Texaco in Clyde, where he worked as a mechanic. Eston served as Justice of the Peace for Callahan County, Precinct 1 for 12 years and worked for Bailey Howard Funeral Home for 10 years. He was a bus driver for the Clyde Independent School District from 1967 until 1979. He was a member of the Cowboy Heritage Church of Clyde and a 32 ^nd Degree Mason, belonging to the Clyde Masonic Lodge 1051.

He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Nell Shelnutt of Clyde; three sons, Dewayne Shelnutt and wife Gay of Kingsland, Danny Shelnutt and wife Deborah of Seguin and Deryl Shelnutt and wife Robin of Forreston; daughter Linda Walls of San Angelo; eight grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

Eston was preceded in death by his sisters, Dorothy Gabbert and Wilma Beasley.