Gary Don Edward Shelby

Early Wednesday morning June 21, 2017, Gary Don Edward Shelby, a 77 year old native of Fort Smith died. He graduated high school when it was just called Fort Smith High School. In January of 1962 he graduated from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville with a BBA. He was a member of Sigma Pi fraternity. On Sept. 8, 1962, he married Carole Adams, also a University of Arkansas Fayetteville graduate. He worked for Foley's Department Store in Houston, Texas, where he lived for 22 years. While the family lived in Houston, he played an active role in his sons' Boy Scout troop. In 1972 he quit Foley's and went to work a distributor of flatware, jewelry and watches and moved the family to San Antonio. A buyout brought another move, this time to Stone Mountain, Ga. Oneida, an upstate New York manufacturer of knives, forks, spoons, etc., asked him to join their company as the customer service manager. In 1991, he and Carole moved to Fayetteville, N.Y., which is on the eastern edge of Syracuse and about 22 miles east of the town of Oneida. Oneida turned out to be a great place for Gary to work because Oneida had their own golf course. During the summer months, he wouldn't get home until 30 minutes after dark because he liked to get in a round of golf after work. Retirement found Gary and Carole moving to Fort Smith to be near relatives. Over the years they liked to travel and enjoy trips through the United States, Canada and Europe. Gary was an avid Razorback fan and especially enjoyed going to the football games. Gary had learned golf from his father and played well. He also played a lot of tennis and loved playing with a group on 37th Street at a place they affectionately called the "Court Up on the Hill." He worked part time at the front desk of the Fort Smith Athletic Club and later became manager. Gary is survived by his wife Carole; sons, Mark Edward of Dallas, Texas and Steven Eric of Lubbock, Texas; his brother John and his wife Pam; two nieces and two nephews. A memorial services is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 27 at St. Luke Lutheran Church, on the corner of Waldron and Free Ferry. Services are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. The family requests donations be made, in Gary's name, to St. Luke Lutheran Church, 5401 Free Ferry Road, Fort Smith, Ark. 72903, or Literacy Council of Western Arkansas, PO Box 423, Fort Smith, Ark. 72902. To sign an online guestbook, visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.