Shelby Jean Davis Barnette received her eternal flight home to her Savior and Lord Jesus Christ on November 29, 2021.

Shelby was born and spent her childhood in Mooresville, North Carolina- often called the Home of Flight; and Flight was a theme that remained central to her and to her childhood sweetheart, Bobby W. Barnette, whom she married in 1955. Their daughter, Starr Demetra Barnette was born the following year.

Early in their marriage they moved to Memphis, while Bob attended college and where they made many life-long friends. Because they married at such an early age, her husband made a promise to her parents, to always have Shelby and Starr home in North Carolina for a week at Christmas and a week in the summer, regardless of their residence. Throughout their marriage, Bob always kept his promise. They were blessed to have a private plane that Bob piloted, and Shelby "backseat-navigated."

Later they moved to Monroe, Louisiana, where Shelby worked as a broker at Starr Realty. With Bob's job, they were later transferred to Nashville TN, where they especially enjoyed living in an area of church steeples, great Bible studies, and country musicians.

Moving to Texas in 1980, Shelby and Bob began a business in airline products, and in 1984 they co-founded Starr Aircraft Products Inc., of Sherman, Texas. Sherman eventually became their new home, as they established deeply rooted friendships. Shelby became well known for her wonderful hospitality and her readiness to receive friends into her home at any given moment.

Shelby worked alongside her husband for forty-one years and continued as President of Starr Aircraft after his death.  This was made possible by God's grace and with Les McConnell as Starr Aircraft's General Manager and close friend, who became President in 2018.

Bob and Shelby Barnette centered their professional lives around aeronautics and specifically, the manufacture of seating and other components for private and International Airline Companies. At any given moment in time, there are between 9,000 and 10,000 commercial aircraft aloft, seating over one million passengers. An impressive number of these jetliners incorporates the products of Starr Aircraft craftsmanship.

Their Christian tenets were intricately woven into the lives of Shelby and Bob Barnette, and these extended into their business world. At the production facility, Bible studies and devotionals were offered for employees, and this concept grew into a Bible Church, supported by Starr Aircraft.

They were active in Sherman Bible church, teaching three- and four-year-old children for fifteen years. She was also a founding member of Crisis Pregnancy Center in 1992. She was a founding member of Legacy Bible Church, which began as a Bible study at Starr Aircraft.

She served as a board member for Texoma Christian School for over fifteen years and was an active scholarship sponsor.

Shelby served The Lord with a focus on financial and moral support, as well as prayers for missionaries. She traveled extensively to various missions in South and Central America, India, and Africa.

RReach was her primary involvement for 24 years and served on their International Board of Directors since 2008. She also served on Four Rivers board for 6 years.

Shelby was a loving wife, mother, aunt, and friend. Her love for Starr was like no other and she expressed this by the assurance her daughter knows the Lord, the word of God and the importance of prayer.

Shelby Barnette is survived by her daughter, Starr Demetra Barnette, and one sister,
Emma Katherine Davis Hancock. She was preceded in death, by her husband, Bobby W. Barnette, her sister, Martha Davis Blanton and brother-in-Law Joseph E. Blanton,

her brother-in-Law, Wilburn L Hancock.

She left footprints in the hearts of nephew- Robert E. Blanton (Connie),

nieces, Michelle Reneé Beauman (Frank), Crystal D. Hancock, Katrina Hancock Chalk, Melody Hancock Hughes (Matthew), and nephew, Wilburn L. Hancock II (Kim). She has
thirteen great nieces and nephews and six great-great nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, December 4, 2021, at Legacy Bible Church at 10:00 A.M. with Rev. Garner Simpkins and Rev. Ramesh Richards officiating. A graveside service will be at Friendship Cemetery immediately following the service.  A luncheon will be held at the Family Center of Post Oak Fellowship Church (2100 N. Woods St., Sherman) after the graveside service.  The online register book can be signed at waldofuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to RReach (17110 Dallas Pkwy, Suite 230, Dallas, TX 75248; www. rreach.org ); True Options Pregnancy Center (105 W Pecan St, Sherman, TX 75090); MasterKey Ministries (209 S. Heritage Pkwy, Sherman, TX 75092); or Legacy Bible Church (4818 FM 691, Denison, TX 75020).