The Shelley Family Home Page:Information about John Walter Shelley
John Walter Shelley (b. August 27, 1874, d. August 1955)
Notes for John Walter Shelley:Northwest Arkansas Times, Fayetteville Arkansas Wednesday June 8, 1955
Obituary
John Walter Shelley
Funeral services for John Walter Shelley, 80, who died Sunday, were held
at 2 pm Tuesday in the Chapel of Nelson’s Funeral Home with Dr. Andrew
Hall officiating. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery. Active pallbears
were Roy Cole, Ralph Lehman, Burl Skelton, Arthur Castelman, James
Sleemore and Melvin Shelley. Honorary pallbearers were Bill Williams,
Newt Hinkle, Jake Williams, Harvey Ward, Delmer Collins, Evertt Campbell
and Clifton Wade.
Front Page article - Northwest Arkansas Times June 6, 1955
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Retired U. A. Police Officer Drowns in Flash Flood
John Walter Shelley, 87, of Fayetteville, retired University police
office, rode a six-foot wall of water to his death late yesterday when
he was trapped by a flash flood in the Illinois River in southwest
Washington County.
A companion, Mrs. Robert Kahn of Fayetteville Route 8, escaped with her
life after their stalled authomobile was trapped by the flash flood.
Shelley’s body was recovered about 9 pm a mile down stream after Mrs.
Kahn summoned help. She escaped the sudden torrent by grabbing a limb as
she was swept in alongside the bank.
Here is the story as put together by Sheriff Bruce Crider:
The couple, with Mrs. Kahn driving, were enroute to church services at a
rural church between Moffett and Strickler. At a point where the road
fords the headwaters of the Illinois they started to cross the stream in
approximately 18” of water. That was at about 6:30 pm.
The automobile stalled midstream, and Shelley and Mrs. Kahn climbed out
and attemped to wade to shore. Before they reached the bank, the steep,
six foot bank of water resulting from yesterday afternoon’s heavy rains,
roared down upon them. Mrs. Kahn told the sheriff they held together for
a short time before she was able to escape the river.
Sheriff’s deputies, Fayetteville city firemen and volunteers were called
into the search for Shelley’s body. The body was recovered in a few
inches of water a mile down stream by six West Fork men. Albert Baker,
Ronald Weaver, Ed Spears, Ben Knight, Ronald Knight and Wayne Washburn.
A native of Rocky Comfort, Mo, Mr. Shelley had been a Fayetteville
resident for 61 years. He was an employee of the University for 27 years
and was known to generations of students as “Pop.”He was a member of
the Baptist Church.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Harry E. Brinson of Oklahoma City, Okla;
four sons, Ben Shelley of Little Rock, S. E. Shelley of Dallas, TX, G.
D. Shelley of Hobbs, N.M., and J. W. Shelley of Seymour, TX; and 13
grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 pm tomorrow at Nelson’s funeral
chapel, Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
More About John Walter Shelley:
Burial: 1955, Evergreen Cemetery, Fayetteville, Arkansas.
More About John Walter Shelley and Caldonia (Callie) W. Carden:
Marriage: February 16, 1897, Fayetteville, Washington Co., Arkansas.
Children of John Walter Shelley and Caldonia (Callie) W. Carden are:
- Wanda Elizabeth Shelley, b. March 1898, Arkansas, d. June 04, 1919, Fayetteville, Washington Co. Arkansas.
- Ben Richard Shelley, b. May 11, 1901, Fayetteville, Arkansas, d. June 06, 1965, Little Rock, Arkansas.
- +Guy Dewey Shelley, b. February 18, 1906, Fayetteville, Arkansas, d. September 26, 1992, Hobbs, New Mexico.
- +Rebecca Jean Shelley, b. September 01, 1910, Fayetteville, Arkansas, d. July 17, 1989, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
- +Stirman Elga Shelley.
- +Jack Walter Shelley, b. July 17, 1907, Fayetteville, Arkansas, d. August 16, 1988, Seymour, Texas.
- Oscar Harding, b. February 1891, d. date unknown.