Carl Shelley
d. August 20, 2012
Carl Thomas Shelley
09/28/1920 – 08/20/2012
Carl Thomas Shelley passed away in his home in Sandy, Utah, on August 20, 2012. Carl was born September 28, 1920 in American Fork, the youngest of seven children, and grew up on his parents’ farm. Carl served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as an aircraft mechanic. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in geology and worked as a petroleum geologist. Carl’s pioneer grandparents crossed the plains and were early settlers of American Fork. Carl’s father, George F. Shelley, wrote An Early History of American Fork and was an educator there, where his namesake Shelley Elementary School is built on his former farm.
Carl met and fell in love with Edna Ryskamp on the BYU campus. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on May 26, 1947. They were very proud parents of five children and savored family gatherings with Marlin (Kathi), Val, Craig (Elaine), Judene, and Kevin (Camille), along with twenty-two grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. Through example, Carl and Edna taught their children values of hard work, self-reliance, education, thrift, determination, and honesty. Carl loved to explain the rock formations to his children on frequent hiking and camping trips. Carl felt strongly about keeping photo albums to preserve family memories, a passion he expanded by co-authoring several volumes of family history for future generations. In his later years, he avidly attended classes at the University of Utah Institute and enjoyed daily trips to the gym to exercise and socialize.
Carl’s funeral will be on Saturday, August 25, at 11 am at the Glacial Park Ward Building, 2675 E Mt Jordan Road in Sandy. Friends may visit with family on Friday, August 24, from 6 to 8 pm at the Cannon Mortuary, 2460 Bengal Blvd (7600 South) in Salt Lake City, and at the Glacial Park Ward at 10 am before the funeral service. The graveside dedication will be held after the funeral at the American Fork City Cemetery at 600 N Center Street.
Condolences can be offered online at www.cannonmortuary.com