James E. Shelly, of Perkasie and formerly of Sellersville, PA, completed a life full of family, friends and fun on Wednesday, March 16, 2022.  He was 95.

He was the husband of the late Kathryn B. (Sharer) Shelly who died on May 16, 1993.  They were married at St. Michael's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sellersville on September 25, 1953.

Born and raised in Sellersville, he was the son of the late J. Howard and Clara (Crouthamel) Shelly.  Jim was a 1944 graduate of Sell-Perk High School, Perkasie, where he was a four-letter stand-out in football, baseball, basketball, and track and field.

A U. S. Navy Veteran of World War II, he served in the Pacific Theatre from 1944 until his honorable discharge as a Seaman First Class in 1946.  He was a crew member on the U.S.S. Ault (DD 698), a destroyer seeing action at both Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and anchoring in Tokyo Bay for the September 2, 1945 signing of the Peace Treaty on the U.S.S. Missouri

For most of his life Jim was a member of St. Michael's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sellersville, and was the pitcher for the church fast pitch softball team spanning five decades until hanging up his glove in his late 60's.

Jim was inducted into the Pennridge-Quakertown Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 for his athletic accomplishments that also included a stint with the Pennridge Greenjackets Semi-Pro Football Team as a player and later as a coach in the mid-1950s.

He was a member of the Nase-Kraft American Legion Post No. 255, Sellersville, and a former member of the Loyal Order of Moose No. 1539, Sellersville, as well as the Perkasie Order of Owl's Nest, Perkasie.

He is survived by four sons, Jeffrey S. Shelly and his wife Mary, of Summit, NY, Ricky J. Shelly and his wife Donna, of Perkasie, Troy L. Shelly and his wife Susan, of Spinnerstown, PA, and Tracy P. Shelly, of Sarasota, FL; six grandchildren, Melissa Shelly and her husband Julio Zavala, Nicholas Shelly, Kathryn Shelly, Nathan Shelly, Lee Shelly and his wife Ashley, and Stephen Shelly; six great-grandchildren, Jada, Nyla, Taya, Isabella, Lyric and Rhett, and another great-grandchild expected to be born the end of March.

Jim was the baby of his family, and in addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by sisters Blanche Schultze, Mary Alderfer, Evelyn Hollenbach and Eleanor Pannepacker; and brothers Ralph, Paul, George, Robert, Warren and Richard.

Having lived the majority of his life in Sellersville, Jim enjoyed the last twelve years in the Perkasie home of his son Rick and his loving caregiver "daughter" Donna, where he was known to munch on an occasional Golden Oreo cookie and read to his great-grandchildren.

Family and friends may call from 10:00 to 11:00 AM on Monday, March 28, 2022, at St. Michael's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 25 East Church Street, Sellersville.  His Memorial Services will immediately follow at 11:00 AM.  Interment will be held privately in Sellersville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Pennridge Little League, P. O. Box 8, Perkasie, PA  18944.

Arrangements are by the Bernard Suess Funeral Home, 606 Arch Street, Perkasie.