Lita Gwinn Shelton Holloway, 79, of New Carlisle, Ohio, died July 15, 2011 at the home of her niece and nephew, Dr. Robert and Dianne Whitten of Cincinnati, Ohio at the age of 79.

She was born November 12, 1931 in West Logan, West Virginia, daughter of the late Alva Otis Shelton and the late Arnetta Pearl Pearson Shelton.

A 1949 graduate of Huntington East High School in Huntington, West Va., she was a music major for one year at Marshall University before training at St. Mary’s Nursing School.She worked as a nurse for Dr. Cook and Dr. Burns in Huntington for several years, as a medical technician at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital in Washington, D.C., and as a nurse for Dr. Gale Bush in New Carlisle, Ohio.She became an employee of Tecumseh High School in 1975, where she worked as a monitor before starting an Alcohol and Drug Mission Awareness Program at the high school.She served on the Miami Valley Alcohol and Drug Commission after her retirement in 1994, and continued to help local students in the guidance office of Tecumseh by finding suitable scholarships.Her love of music was expressed through her service to area churches, where she served as choir director and organist for the United Methodist church and the Honey Creek Presbyterian church.She was a Muse Machine counselor at Tecumseh, and after retirement she became a hospital volunteer in Springfield, Ohio.She was also a member of the Woman’s Town Club of Springfield, and the Red Hat Society.

Lita Holloway is survived by her children: Elizabeth (and Herms) Oer of Northeim, Germany, James (and Fran) Holloway of Columbus, Ohio, and Pamela (and Matthew) Smith of Chugiak, Alaska, and four grandchildren, Jay and Mick Holloway, Michael Kerber and Kali (and Jonathon) Millar.She is also survived by three sisters, Anita Shelton, Wilma Delane Shelton, and Louava Sharon Wilson and by many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews, and many dear friends. Mrs. Holloway was preceded in death by her husband, James Arthur Holloway, also formerly of Huntington, W. Va.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister Ruby Irene Staton, and her two brothers, Alva Otis Shelton, Jr. and Ralph Waldo Shelton, as well as her son-in-law, Dr. Karl-Heinz Kerber.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Honey Creek Presbyterian Church, 212 West Jefferson St., New Carlisle, Ohio, 45344 at 6:30 pm on Thursday, July 21, 2011. The service will be preceded by visitation at the church from 3:30 to 6:30 pm. Services and interment will be held at the chapel at Ridgelawn Cemetary in Huntington, W. Va. on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 2:30pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hospice of Cincinnati, the American Cancer Society, or the Honey Creek Presbyterian Church Capital Campaign Fund in her name.

The family was served by the TROSTEL, CHAPMAN, DUNBAR & FRALEY FUNERAL HOME, New Carlisle, Ohio.

Condolences may be sent to the family via the guest book at www.trostelchapman.com