Sterling M. Shelly
Obituary
NORTH NEWTON — Sterling M. Shelly, 75, of North Newton died
on April 7, 2012, while under the care of hospice.
He was born on Nov. 22, 1936, in East Greenville, Pa., to
Howard and Emma (Myers) Shelly, the youngest son in a family of nine children.
As a teenager, he was baptized at West Swamp Mennonite Church in Quakertown,
Pa. Sterling graduated from Upper Perkiomen High School in 1954 and then
attended Bluffton College in Ohio.
From 1955 to 1958, Sterling worked in housing construction
in Pennsylvania. In 1958, Sterling came to Newton to serve as a printer for
General Conference Mennonite Faith & Life Bookstore to fulfill his
alternative service work duty.
While at Faith & Life Bookstore, he also began working
at Mennonite Press in North Newton. Sterling continued working there until
1978, when he left to start Super Speed Printing. He owned and operated that
business with his son, Eric, until selling it in 1990. Sterling continued to
work as a printer by operating the Halstead Hospital Print Shop from 1990 to
2000. With the closing of Halstead Hospital, he began a quick print shop in
Newton, which he operated until his retirement in 2004.
Sterling and his wife, Alma, have been active members of
Bethel College Mennonite Church and Sojourners Sunday School class, and served
on various committees. They enjoyed dancing with the Hesston Shoe Scuffers
Square Dance Club and attending Bethel College sporting events.
Sterling was a member and served as an officer in the
Printing House Craftsmen Club of Wichita, as well the Newton Optimist Club.
Sterling was a long-time blood donor, having donated more than 100 pints of
blood before beginning to donate platelets in recent years.
Survivors include his wife, Alma Shelly of the home; his
son, Eric and wife, Lori of Newton; son, Jeff and wife, Linda of Lenexa; and
three grandchildren, Iris Shelly of Lenexa, and Matthew and Tyler Shelly of
Newton.
Other survivors include two brothers and sister, Howard (and
Marilyn) Shelly of Bluffton, Ohio, Alton (and Els) Shelly of Goshen, Ind., and
Marjorie Nester of Normal, Ill.; four sister-in-laws, Griselda Shelly of North
Newton, June Shelly of Newton, Helen Shelly Neufeld of Abbotsford, British
Columbia, and Betty Shelly of Bluffton; as well as many other extended family
members.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers,
Raymond (infancy), Maynard, Irwin, Kenneth, Ralph, Walter and Karlton
(infancy); sister-in-laws, Edna (Mrs. Irwin) Shelly and Carol (Mrs. Howard)
Shelly; and brother-in-law, Donald Nester.
A book signing will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at
Petersen Funeral Home in Newton. A service to celebrate Sterling’s life and
gentle spirit will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Fellowship Hall, Bethel College
Mennonite Church in North Newton. A private family inurnment will take place at
a later date.
Memorials may be sent to Bethel College Mennonite Church,
Bethel College or Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice.
Petersen Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
