Shelly McCown passed away on October 27, 2024 at the age of 61. Shelly was a loving mom, wife, family member, friend, and teacher. She is survived by her son Nathan and husband David, and many others who will miss her kind presence.
Shelly was known as Mrs. McCown to the hundreds of students she taught in her 35 years with Orange County Public Schools (OCPS). Shelly began her teaching career at Winegard Elementary where she taught children who did not speak English. On the first day of school each year, students all spoke different languages. With Mrs. McCown’s expert guidance, by the end of the year all students were communicating together. Mrs. McCown left Winegard to teach at Conway Elementary when her son Nathan started school there. She later moved to Conway Middle. She always said that in addition to learning, her students needed love and she loved each and every one of them.
Shelly was born at Duke University where her father was a medical student. The family later moved to Bethesda, Maryland and then to Ann Arbor, Michigan. After high school, Shelly moved to Florida to attend college.
Shelly enjoyed spending her evenings and weekends with her husband and son. Her husband, David, is also a 40+ year employee of OCPS working as an HVAC technician, which is how they met at Winegard Elementary. Their son, Nathan, is a proud senior at Boone High School and an ROTC member.
Shelly remained an avid reader her entire life and was well versed in the classics. She enjoyed all types of music, from rock and roll to new music to classical music. She joined the Messiah Choral Society years ago and participated for many years.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Messiah Choral Society or Broadway United Methodist Church, where Nathan, David, and the McCowns are lifelong members.