Harry Spencer Shadden

Harry Spencer Shadden Jr., age 81, of Fayetteville died at his home April 20, 2013, after a long battle with congestive heart failure and other health problems. He was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., Aug. 7, 1931, to Harry and Julia Shadden. He was preceded in death by his mother, Julia Brewer, and father, Harry Spencer Shadden Sr.; his grandmother, Jesse Shadden, aunt, Alma Shadden (both of whom raised him); and his brothers, Bill and Jim Shadden. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his four children, Spencer Shadden, Lisa Rutledge, Judi Shadden and Susan Hancock; six grandchildren, (Sarah and Spencer Rutledge, William Whaley and Ann-Marie Scott, Eliza and Willis Shadden); and two great-grandchildren. Harry went to Red Bank High School in Chattanooga, and graduated from Tennessee Technological University in 1954 with a degree in sociology. During high school and college, he was active in sports, particularly track and wrestling. After college, he joined the U.S. Army as Second Lieutenant in the Signal Corps, serving as Security and Intelligence Officer and Company Commander at Fort Gordon, Georgia from 1955-1957. Harry led a remarkable life of giving to others and engagement in creative endeavors. After the military, he entered Seminary at The University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., where he obtained his Doctor of Divinity degree in 1961. He served the church in the Chattanooga region as Vicar of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Director of the Mission Community Center, and chaplain to all city hospital and to psychiatric patients. He then spent a year in Chicago at the National Urban Training Center where he became more involved in community development activities and the civil rights movement. This was followed by three years as Executive Director of the Mission Association of Metropolitan New Haven, Conn. During this time of racial unrest, he worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between the predominantly all white churches he worked for and the Black community. When he became frustrated with the church's inaction, he left the church and worked from 1970-1974 as Social Investigator for the City of New Haven. During this time, he began creating one-of-a-kind leather items, pursuing this full time for several years. When he and his wife, Barbara, moved to Knoxville, Tenn., he began designing silver jewelry using unique natural substances made by artisans in Taxco, Mexico, then wholesaling these items in the U.S. During his frequent trips to Mexico, he learned of a remote Indian tribe in Tlamacazapa, a small village in the mountains of the State of Guerrero in Mexico. Those living in this village had only one trade -- creating woven baskets which were then sold at marketplaces in larger towns. The Governor of Guerrero invited Harry to train the village residents in the leather trade to improve their standard of living. With two others, he spent several months teaching leather craft skills, living where many residents had never seen a white person before. When Harry and his wife moved to Fayetteville in 1979, he began working with Ozark Guidance Center, serving that organization in many capacities until his retirement in 1996, continuing part time for several years afterwards. He provided training for business and industry, police groups in northwest Arkansas, and many other organizations. He facilitated over 100 community workshops as well. At OGC, he also developed and managed the Ozark Mental Health Players, a group bringing better understanding of mental health to a broad range of audiences. During his last years at OGC, he was a case manager for chronically ill patients. Harry was a talented painter, sculptor, singer, and actor in theatrical productions with many theatre groups in Northwest Arkansas. Among his widely acclaimed roles, his favorites were Tevya in Fiddler on the Roof and the Stage Manager in Our Town. In recent months, Harry found comfort in his friends at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Monday, April 29, 2013, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Fayetteville. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Harry's name to Ozark Guidance. 2400 South 48th Street, Springdale, AR 72762 To place an online tribute visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.