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- !OBIT:MARION COUNTY, SC
Mr. James Canty Shelley, Jr., 47, died Monday, April 6, 2009, at McLeod Medical Center in Dillon after a short illness. Funeral Services will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, 2009, at the First United Methodist Church in Marion directed by Richardson Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Shiloh United Methodist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
Born in Charleston, Mr. Shelley was a son of the late James C. Jimmy Shelley and Eva Turner Shelley. He was a member of Shiloh United Methodist Church and was employed by Beneteau USA. He attended Marion Schools then graduated from Wilson High School in Florence.
Mr. Shelley started as a child playing ball himself and began his coaching career by coaching his brothers as a teenager. He coached his children, Amy and Brian in basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer for many years. Being on the coaching staff of Marion School District One, he coached varsity softball for 9 years and began a JV softball program at Marion High School this year. He was honored to have been selected to coach the North-South Softball Game in 2006. Mr. Shelley won numerous awards throughout his coaching career; 4 Region, 4 District, and Lower State runner-up at Marion High School. He was also an active participant in the Swamp Fox Booster Club. If not on a field or court, he enjoyed hunting. James always put others first. He was an unselfish, giving, kind, genuine man who loved his family dearly.
Survivors are his wife, Billie Lynn Bullard Shelley of the home; a son, James Brian Shelley of Marion; a daughter, Amy Renee Shelley of Florence; two brothers, Anthony Craig Shelley and his wife, Tammy, and Joseph Chad Shelley and his wife, Darci, all of Florence; a sister, Annette Shelley Morris of Statesville, GA; brother-in-law, Steve Bullard and his wife, Beth; nieces, Carmen Bullard and Macey Shelley; nephews, Brandon Shelley, Mason Bullard, Trent Rogers, Braxton Shelley, and Bradley Shelley.
Published: April 7, 2009
MARION COUNTY, SC
Extra school counselors were made available this morning to students coping with the sudden death of an assistant softball coach who died last night of an apparent heart attack.
Counselors were at Johnakin Middle School and Marion High School and all the schools observed a moment of silence in memory of James Shelley, Marion School District 1 Superintendent Michael Lupo said.
Shelley, who has helped to coach the Marion High softball team for the past 10 years with his wife, coach Lynn Shelley, collapsed during a game Monday night in Dillon and was pronounced dead later at a local hospital, MHS Athletic Director Tim Perkins said.
Students are talking with counselors as they need to, Lupo said. "James was a community coach," and not employed by the school. He was employed at Beneteau in Marion.
Perkins said James Shelley had a mild heart attack three weeks ago and doctors inserted a heart stent. He was scheduled to have another surgery Thursday.
According to eyewitnesses, James Shelley was coaching third base when he grabbed his chest and fell to the ground. EMS personnel at the game attended to him and transported him to the hospital.
"The team will reschedule the game set to play Wednesday, (against Mullins)" Lupo said. "Tim met with the players and counselors at the middle school this morning ... we'll continue paying attention to their needs."
Perkins has stepped in to lead the teams, Lupo said, along with another community coach, Keith Stewart.
"This was tragic, unexpected ... and a tremendous loss," Lupo said. "He gave a lot of his time to the team and loved coaching and loved the girls…"
Lynn Shelley has been teaching kindergarten at Easterling Primary School for 11 years, employed by the school district for 20 years and been the softball coach for 10 years. She was a Teacher of the Year in 2000, been selected as the North/South All Star Softball coach and as the MHS Booster Club Female Sports Coach of the Year
MORNING NEWS
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Abt 1962 - 2009 (47 years)
