William Lynn "Bill" Shellabarger

SHELLABARGER, HARRIS, FOUST, LEWIS, DAILY, CROW

Posted By: Connie Street, volunteer (email)
Date: 5/18/2004 at 16:54:33

William Shellabarger

LETTS, Iowa - William Lynn "Bill" Shellabarger, 53, Letts, died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004, at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago from complications following a spinal cord injury after an automobile accident on Dec. 12, 2003.

Services are 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 2, at Grandview Community Bible Church, Grandview. The Rev. Darryl Erickson will officiate. Burial will be at Grandview Cemetery.

Visitation is 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1, at the Dudgeon-McCulley Funeral Home, Wapello. A memorial fund has been established for the benefit of his daughter's education.

Mr. Shellabarger was born Nov. 20, 1950, in Burlington, the son of Lynn and Betty Harris Shellabarger. He married Lorrie Jean Foust Dec. 18, 1976, in Ames.

He had worked at HON Allsteel for more than 20 years.

He started country school at the Eureka No. 6 School in Green Bay Bottom in rural Des Moines County. He graduated from BHS in 1969, where he played football when they were Little Six champs of 1968. He was an All-State fullback and graduated from lowa State University in 1973 with a degree in industrial engineering. He played in Iowa State's first bowl appearance, under coach Johnny Majors. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. After his football career, he played rugby with the Skunk River Club until 1990. He also played slow pitch softball.

He had a lifelong love of the river and a passion for duck, goose, and deer hunting. His Chessie "Babe" was famous for her nose, retrieves, and her ability to say the word hello. For many years he hunted out of the Sperry Gun Club and then many others with his numerous hunting buddies. He was known online as Duck Man/Duck Slayer and was a member of Ducks Unlimited.

He was also an avid Cardinal, Green Bay Packer and ISU Cyclones fan, where he was a member of the Letter Winner Club.

He was a member of the American Legion, Muscatine. He was truly loved by everyone.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Walter Shellabarger, 3rd Marines 4th Battalion, stationed in Iraq; a daughter, Jillian at home; his mother, Betty Lewis and husband Bryan of Nixa, Mo.; and two sisters, Cindy Daily and husband Mike of Fort Madison and Carol Crow and husband Tom of Springfield, Mo.

He was preceded in death by his father.

Source: Muscatine Journal