PERU – Lonnie Shell, 68, of Peru, died at 8:42 p.m. May 5, 2012, at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.
He was born July 7, 1943, in Little Rock, Ky., to Willie and Polly Hendrix Shell.
In 1967 he married Carla Flora, who survives; and on Dec. 18, 1979, he married Joan Blackwell, who preceded him in death. A special dear friend, Lela, survives.
He retired as a Peru city police officer, serving from Oct. 2, 1974, to April 15, 2000. He graduated from high school in 1963 in Kentucky. He operated Sunoco Station from 1969 to 1975. After retirement he still worked on cars, he liked to watch NASCAR, football and loved watching Kentucky basketball. He served in the U.S. Army until 1964.
Also surviving are five daughters: Edith (and spouse Tom) Russell, Denver, Ind.; Brenda Shell (and companion Brian), Silver Lake; Rebecca Shell Murray (and companion Curtis), Kokomo; Darlene Brown, Texas; and Jody (and spouse Dan) Rogers, Georgia; two sons, Lane (and spouse Karen) Blackwell, Peru, and Dean (and spouse Tammy) Blackwell, Iowa; two brothers, Ray Shell, Kentucky, and Henry (and spouse Vicki) Shell, Peru; and two sisters, Edna Cornett and Emily (and spouse Otis) Cornett, all of Kentucky; 16 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and two sisters.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Flowers-Leedy Funeral Home, Peru, with Pastor Kenny Cole officiating, and a military service by the Miami County Military Rites Team. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery, Peru. Calling is from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home.
