Staff Report
Buda, Texas
1940 - 2025
Robert "Bob" Francis Shelton, Jr., beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, coach, mentor, and friend, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 10, 2025, at the age of 85 surrounded by his family.
Born and raised in Dripping Springs, Texas, Bob graduated from Dripping Springs High School, where he still holds the record for total points scored during his varsity basketball career and was named first team all-state his senior year. He went on to earn his B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from Southwest Texas State University. During his college years, he played basketball for the University of Texas before transferring to Southwest Texas State University and playing there. In 1964, he began his legendary coaching and athletic director career at Buda High School, and in 1966, the football team finished with a record of 10-2, winning the regional round, which was as far as teams could advance in Class B at the time. In 1968, Bob moved to Jack C. Hays High School when the area's high schools consolidated into one district. Over the course of 47 years, Coach Shelton built a legacy that shaped not only the Hays athletic program, but also countless young lives.
Bob married the love of his life, Beverly, in 1973. Together, they built a partnership defined by devotion, teamwork, and shared purpose. Beverly was by his side for every step of his coaching journey - at every game, home and away. While he poured long hours into coaching, Beverly managed their "energetic" four kids with strength and a whole lot of patience. Their marriage was a true team effort, built on love, laughter, and a shared faith that guided them through every season of life.
Coach Shelton's 313 career wins speaks to his extraordinary consistency and competitive spirit. Under his leadership, Hays football teams earned 18 playoff appearances, including four quarterfinal runs and one trip to the state finals. His teams went 23 consecutive seasons without a losing record. In recognition of his enduring impact, the Hays CISD named the district's football stadium "Bob Shelton Stadium" in 1996. He was presented with the Tom Landry Award in 1997 by the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA), which also inducted him into its Hall of Honor in 2002. In 1997, he was also chosen as the 4A Coach of the Year by the Texas Sportswriters' Association. In 2003, he was named State Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations, and in 2018, he was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame. He was the first head coach in Texas high school football history to serve 43 years at one school, and at retirement, held the record for most years as a head coach (47). He was the seventh coach in Texas history to reach 300 career wins.
As driven and organized as he was on the field - his players knew the bus left exactly when he said it would - Bob was equally devoted to teaching lessons about leadership, teamwork, and integrity. He had an extraordinary memory for his players and games, able to recall individual plays and outcomes even decades later. But above all, he valued the relationships he built - in particular, with his coaching staff and other Texas high school football coaches around the state - and the lives he influenced along the way. He was particularly proud that his varsity coaching staff had no turnover from 1994 through 2007.
Off the field, Bob was a man of wide-ranging interests. He loved music - playing guitar and singing. He was an avid reader who devoured hundreds of books, and he enjoyed traveling with his wife, Beverly, and their children. A true family man, he loved spending time playing sports, trivia games, and Pinochle, or watching movies, the Texas Longhorns, Dallas Cowboys, and San Antonio Spurs. His Christian faith was central to his life; every Sunday morning, he began his day alone in his study singing "In the Garden" and "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," and he treasured the two pilgrimages he made to the Holy Land in Israel later in life. He was a founding member of Hays Hills Baptist Church, and he worked specifically on their mission efforts for Help One Now in Haiti.
Bob was always proud of his family and never missed a chance to introduce and celebrate them. He is survived by his wife, Beverly Shelton; children Robert "Trace" Shelton III (Shonna), Ryan Shelton (Karen), Clay Shelton, and Megan Rutledge (Ryan); grandchildren Robert Shelton IV (Anasofia), Mayson Shelton, Malik Shelton, Reilly Shelton, Luke Shelton, Drew Shelton, and Lily Shelton; great-grandchild Sloane Shelton; siblings Becky Burke (Bob), Jim Shelton (Carole), Poe Shelton (Tammie), and Lisa Robertson (Mike); and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Francis Shelton and Ima Lois Shelton; his daughter-in-law, Jessica Shelton; and many loved aunts, uncles and friends.
The family would also like to thank Tia Johnson, who took such great care of Bob over the past year. She was absolutely essential to the family being able to keep Bob living at home, and the family can't express its gratitude highly enough.
A celebration of Bob's life will be held at Hays Hills Baptist Church on November 29th at 2 p.m., where friends, former players, and loved ones will gather to honor a man whose influence will echo for generations.
Coach Bob Shelton's life was a testament to purpose, perseverance, and love - for his family, his friends and fellow coaches, his players, and his Lord. His legacy will live on every Friday night under the lights of Bob Shelton Stadium and in the hearts of all who knew him.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the HCISD Bob Shelton Memorial Scholarship fund at hayscisd.net/bobshelton or to your favorite charity.
