Dear CWA Family and Friends,
We take this moment to honor and celebrate the remarkable life, service, and legacy of CWA Board member, John Shelton, Sr.—a man whose contributions to the Chester Water Authority and to the Chester community will not be forgotten.
Mr. John Shelton, Sr in 2021
Since joining the CWA Board in 2012, Mr. Shelton brought with him wisdom, integrity, and an unwavering belief in the value of public water. He understood that CWA’s water operation is not simply a utility. He quickly recognized that CWA was essentially a public trust that is critical to the health, dignity, and stability of the communities it serves. He believed deeply that keeping water public was the best way to keep costs affordable for everyone and sustainably protect the health and safety of the people of Chester. That conviction was never clearer than in 2017, when he stood firmly against privatization and voted no on the proposed sale to Aqua. He knew what was at stake, and he never stopped fighting for what he believed was right.
Mr. Shelton was a man of God who served with a rare combination of humility and determination. He did not seek attention or praise. He simply wanted to help people. He had lived in Chester his entire adult life, had seen what happened in Chester over the decades, and carried that lived experience with him into every board meeting, workshop, and conference. He believed that public service meant learning, listening, and leading. That is why he attended local and national conferences through the American Water Works Association, always looking for ways to strengthen CWA—even recently taking part in workshops on PFAS and new water hydrant designs. He never stopped learning because he never stopped caring.
And his care extended beyond critical water services to Chester and neighboring communities.
Born in Georgia and relocated to Chester as a teenager, Mr. Shelton’s life story was shaped by history in extraordinary ways. One of those remarkable details is that Mr. Shelton’s great aunt was President Jimmy Carter’s nanny, and the future president and Mr. Shelton played together as children. From that beginning, he went on to live a life of consistent purpose, faith, courage, and service.
For 72 years, he was married to his beloved wife, Delores Shelton, building a family rooted in love and commitment. Together they raised two sons, John Jr. and Derrick, and built a legacy that reaches far beyond family and into the heart of an entire city.
John Shelton, Sr. was a giant in Chester civic life. He served as president of the Chester NAACP Branch for more than 20 years and as past president of the Pennsylvania NAACP State Conference. Under his leadership, the Chester branch—one of the oldest NAACP branches in the nation—continued its long tradition of advocacy and action. He helped organize massive voter registration drives, lobbied in Harrisburg for voting rights and civil rights, and constantly reminded young people that they had to exercise their right to vote because others had fought for that privilege. He believed democracy was not something to admire from a distance; it was something you had to participate in, protect, and pass on.
He advocated fiercely for the public school system in Chester. He loved knocking on doors, talking with neighbors, and staying connected to the people. He was an “armor bearer” for the Democratic Party in Chester and even ran for sheriff in Delaware County in the 1960s—and win or lose, that kind of courage said everything about who he was. He stepped forward when others stepped back. He always showed up for his community.
And Chester showed up for him in return. There is even an NAACP Chester Branch award named in his honor, a fitting tribute to a man whose life embodied service. His influence also extended into the city’s political history, including his involvement in the 2009 election that marked a major shift in Chester’s local leadership.
But Mr. Shelton was never about titles or accolades.
I often joked with Mr. Shelton whenever I reached out to shake his hand, to go easy and try not to break it. He was a mechanic and business owner in Chester—a man who worked with his hands, carried the strength of his trade in his grip, and built something lasting through much of his own effort and determination. He believed that food should not go to waste. After parties, events, and conventions, and even board meetings, he would gather leftover food and make sure it went to those in need in the community. That instinct—to make sure others were cared for—was so much a part of who he was that Livia Smith, fellow CWA board member, lovingly called him the “Pied Piper of the community.”
Mr. Shelton possessed a quiet wisdom that he shared freely. He understood that true leadership isn’t measured by authority or dominance, but by the weight of responsibility and the care one shows for others. It is about standing up for people and protecting what belongs to the public.
His legacy at CWA is indelible. His legacy in Chester is profound. And his legacy in the hearts of all who knew him is everlasting.
We honor Mr. Shelton for a life well lived. He lived a life in service to others as a faithful husband, loving father, community servant, civil rights advocate, man of faith, proud son of Chester, and champion for public water.
With deepest respect and gratitude,
Noël Brandon,
Chester Water Authority Board Chair
