John Henry Shelly, Jr.

JOHN HENRY SHELLY, JR.

MARCH 2, 1932 – DECEMBER 29, 2019

John Henry Shelly, Jr., 87, died of natural causes on December 29, 2019, in Toledo, Ohio, after patiently facing several long-term health challenges.  God and Lois, his best friend and wife of 62 years, came to guide him peacefully on his way to eternal joy.                                                                                                                         

John was born on March 2, 1932, in Norfolk, Virginia, to John Henry Shelly and Gertrude Lee Shelly (Graham), the only child of their marriage.  He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta), earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management in 1953, and furthered his education at the Colgate Dardin Business School at the University of Virginia.  With Lois and two children, Steve and Liz, he lived in Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey; and Sylvania, Ohio.                                                                                        

John met his life partner, Lois Elizabeth Beglen, in Granville, Ohio, in 1953.  Their eyes met across the room at a party, and since neither of them had a car they soon took a bus to see a movie on their first date.  A long-distance romance followed for three years while John completed college and served in the military.  They were married on November 3, 1956, at The Church of the Redeemer in Cincinnati, Ohio.                                                                                                                

From 1954 to 1956, John served his country in the U.S. Army in infantry and psychological warfare units.  After training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he advanced to 1st Lieutenant, and was stationed in Hawaii, the Philippines, and South Vietnam.                                                                                 

Having devoted his career in marketing and sales management to Owens Corning Fiberglas Corporation, John retired in 1993 after 40 years with the company.  He also served as director of the Ceilings and Interior Systems Contractors Association from 1983 to 1985.  He embraced his work and made many lifelong friends during his career with OCF.                                                                                

John’s creative expression came through the art of photography.  His first work was completed in a home darkroom beginning in the 1980s.  He and Lois then went on to pursue photographic arts together.  They attended a photography school in Tuscany, Italy, and their photographs were shown in galleries in Sylvania and Toledo.                                                                                                                                  

John shared many happy times outdoors with his family.  Camping trips to the Appalachian Mountains, Michigan, Canada, and Arizona were highlights.  An especially memorable trip was in a small Volkswagen camper van, in which he, Lois, Steve and Liz traveled throughout the desert southwest.  The van was affectionately nicknamed the “Zzyzx Mobile,” after an overnight stay in a campground near Zzyzx, California.   Always interested in learning as much as they could about religion, music, and the arts, he and Lois more recently enjoyed several trips to the Chautauqua Institution in New York, including a wonderful week with Steve and daughter-in-law Karen.                                                            

John and Lois were world travelers.  They toured widely in the United States, as well as in Canada, Japan, Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, and the Middle East.  Their shared sense of adventure and appreciation for many cultures was a highlight of their time together.  Planning a trip was just as enjoyable as the journey itself for John, and he took great pleasure in finalizing detailed itineraries for each voyage, no matter how close or far, short or long.  He especially loved trains and kept an Amtrak schedule in his desk long after such information went online.  One of his favorite trips was a flight with Lois on the Concorde to Europe, not long before this aircraft was removed from service.                                                                          

Serving his community was especially important to John.  After retirement he volunteered for many years, along with Lois, for Meals on Wheels.  John also volunteered at the Toledo Museum of Art and served on the vestry at St. Michael’s in the Hills Episcopal Church.                                                                     

John had an especially deep and abiding love for his family.  His generosity towards others, and his interest in the lives of his friends and relatives, will be greatly missed.  He always listened intently to what others had to share about their work or experiences.                                                                                         

John is survived by his son, J. Stephen Shelly, and daughter-in-law, Karen M. Shelly; nephews Geoffrey M. Beglen and Gregory T. Beglen (Natalie); grandniece Sarah Beglen and grandnephew Kevin Beglen; grandson Joss Kiely; sisters-in-law Patricia Beglen and Caroline Beglen; cousin, Mary Stein; and cousin-in-law, Louise Schick.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois Beglen Shelly; his daughter, Elizabeth Beglen Morris; and his parents.                                                                       

The family wishes to thank the staff of Ohio Living Swan Creek Health Care Center and Hospice for their care and kindness, and Reeb Funeral Home for support and guidance.                                                                                                                              

A celebration of John’s life will be held at a safer time in the future, with details to be provided by St. Michael’s in the Hills Episcopal Church and Reeb Funeral Home.  Information regarding memorial contributions will be provided at that time.         

Remembrances may be posted online to www.reebfuneralhome.com.

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