Otis Clinton Shelby (3-5-13) service 3-8-13

Otis Clinton Shelby

Otis Clinton Shelby was born in Hardin County, on July 29, 1922, the son of the late Clyde Walker and Mary Frances Tucker Shelby of the Big Ivy community. On May 6, 1945, he was united in marriage to the late Zelma Imogene (Jean) Evans.

Mr. Shelby, age 90, of Knoxville, passed away peacefully early Tuesday morning, March 5, at his home. He was a longtime member of First Cumberland Presbyterian church in Knoxville.

He was an U.S. Army captain veteran serving during World War II, 1943-1946, and in the Tennessee National Guard for 20 years.

He was a member of the Kiwanis Club and the Epsilon Sigma Phi and Gamma Sigma Delta Fraternities.

Mr. Shelby graduated from UT Knoxville with a Bachelor of Science degree, 1954, and a Master of Science degree, 1955.

He was assistant vocational agriculture teacher, 1947-1951, agriculturist TVA, 1952-1956; assistant county agent, 1956; vocational agriculture teacher at Central High School in Hardin County, 1956-1957; and assistant extension economist, 1957-1961. Mr. Shelby was district supervisor of agricultural programs, 1961-1966, in Jackson, Tenn.; assistant to the director, 1966-1968, and assistant to the dean, 1968-1969, for the The University of Tennessee, Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville. He was appointed director of Business Affairs in 1969 for the The University of Tennessee, Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, and retired from this position on April 30, 1991.

Mr. Shelby is survived by his two sons and daughters-in-law Danny Walker and Dorothy Shelby and Larry and Pamela Shelby; grandsons Rusty and Dustin Shelby; sisters and brothers-in-law, Tera and Jack Irvin and Anna Lura and Weldon Volner, nieces Mary Sue Vickery, Laura Frances Rushing, of Savannah and Cora Lou Montgomery of Florence, Ala.: nephews Jimmy Shelby of Savannah, David Irvin of North Carolina, Bobby and John Irvin of Missouri and Wade Volner of Memphis; and several cousins.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife Jean Shelby, 2003, and his parents Clyde, 1986 and Mary, 1966; two brothers, Leonard Walker Shelby killed in World War II and James Milton Shelby, 2008; sister Edith Shelby Franks, 2010, and sister-in-law, Verlon Brown Shelby and brother-in-law, Edward A. Franks, 2000.

Funeral service was held at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 8, at Rose Mortuary Mann Heritage Chapel with Dr. J. David Hester officiating. Entombment was at 1:30 p.m., at Highland West Memorial Gardens Mausoleum with full military honors presented by The East Tennessee State Veterans Honor Guard.