Addie Mae Horton

January 31, 1928 - January 2, 2019

Addie Mae Horton was born in the small town of Kaufman, outside of Dallas, Texas to Daisy Mae Lewis and Fred Lewis as their only child during the great depression in1928. Her father farmed on a cotton farm and she grew up helping her family grow and harvest their crops. Addie graduated from Seagoville High School and went to work as a receptionist at a doctors’ office, a position that she spoke of often, and one that she loved very much. When World War Two ended, she met and married Marine, Eugene Horton in 1947 at the age of 19. In 1953 at the age of 25 she gave birth to their first daughter Kathryn “Melinda” while living in Dallas, Texas. After working at a body shop near Dallas, her husband Gene got a new and exciting position as an insurance adjuster and they transferred several times throughout the United States. They moved to Little Rock, Arkansas and Knoxville, Tennessee before heading west to Denver, Colorado in 1959 where their second daughter Geina was born when Addie was 31 years old. In 1962 the family of four packed their bags and moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Addie’s Texas accent was a huge hit. Addie was a wonderful homemaker, teaching the girls how to cook and sew and she could do just about anything around the house. She could paint the house in a day and always had fun with any endeavor she decided to conquer. She taught the girls to be self reliant and independent. She spent many years working in the fashion retail business.

They eventually moved back their beloved Colorado in the mid 1960’s where the girls both grew up and graduated from High School. In 1977 Addie, Gene and Geina moved to North Carolina where they enjoyed exploring the Smokey Mountains and flying with their friends who owned a small plane for day trips along the Eastern Seaboard beaches. Addie and Gene moved to Amarillo, Texas for a short time in the 80’s before coming back to Denver to live near both of their daughters in 1986 and finally settle in to live for good in the state they thought of as home.

Addie and Gene were blessed in 1989 with their grandson Patrick Ryan Sharshel, who spent as much time with his grandparents as anyone could ask for. Addie idolized Patrick and loved to play baseball in their backyard running with him, letting him “win” the game, which somehow, he did, every time.

Addie and Gene were business partners along with her “favorite” son-in-law Dwayne and daughter Melinda, running a family adjusting firm that spread through five states. She enjoyed working side by side with her daughter Melinda and they spent many hours full of love and laughter running their family business.

Addie loved to travel. She went to London with Gene and took an Alaskan cruise that allowed them to spend time together and see the nature that they both loved so very much. She also spent time traveling with her daughter Geina to places like San Francisco, the Redwood Forest and to Hawaii where they explored by helicopter the great Kilauea Volcano.

Addie and Gene both retired in 2008 and were able to celebrate 67 years of marriage before the passing of her beloved husband,Gene in 2015. Addie finally sold their home of 30+ years and moved to Windcrest Retirement Homes where she lived to be 90. Addie lived a rich, full life and loved everyone genuinely that she would come to know. She loved her church and had deep faith. She attend “Circle Meetings” at Brentwood United Methodists Church with many of her long time friends. Addie was loved by all.

Addie Mae is survived by her oldest daughter Kathryn Melinda Sharshel and her beloved son-in-law Dwayne Sharshel, her youngest daughter Geina Horton, her grandson Patrick Ryan Sharshel and his wife Emily Katherine Sharshel, her great granddaughter McKinley Ryan Sharshel and great grandson Tatum Elliott Sharshel all of whom she adored until her final days.