Services scheduled for Joe Shell
The Bakersfield Californian | Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 5:20 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 5:54 PM
Services have been scheduled for civic leader Joe Shell, who died Monday at 89.
Longtime civic leader Joe Shell dies at 89
A graveside service will be held 1 p.m. Friday at Hillcrest Memorial Park. A memorial will follow at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1705 17th St.
Shell was an independent oil producer, Assemblyman and gubernatorial primary candidate and husband of Mary K. Shell, a former Bakersfield mayor and Kern County supervisor.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released a statement about him Tuesday.
"Joe Shell was a dedicated, loyal public servant to the state of California," he said. "He contributed years of faithful service to his district during his time in the state legislature and was thoroughly committed to bettering the lives of Californians.
"Maria and I extend our deepest condolences to Joe's family during this time of mourning."
Longtime civic leader Joe Shell dies at 89
The Bakersfield Californian | Monday, Apr 7 2008 12:17 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 7:44 AM
Joe Shell was an unusual sort of politician.
When the lanky independent oil man ran an unsuccessful bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 1962, he racked up a campaign debt of $200,000. These days, politicians often carry much greater debt for years, letting it linger until it's forgotten.
Not Shell.
"He sold his business and paid it all off," said Mary K. Shell, his wife of nearly four decades. "Have you ever heard of that happening?
"He was quite a guy."
Joe Shell died Monday at 89.
Mary Shell said her husband broke a hip last year but was getting around on a walker. Then he broke a couple ribs in January and just couldn't rally.
That's hard to imagine for a man who seemed to take on so many challenges with an almost effortless grace.
He was born in Washington state in 1918 and moved with his family to San Diego at 2. His mother was a homemaker and his father a judge.
Shell played football, and did it well enough to earn college offers from the U.S. Naval Academy, Stanford University and the University of Southern California.
He chose USC and played three years of varsity football, captained the undefeated 1939 team and competed in the Rose Bowl twice.
He was also a pilot, learning to fly at age 14. He had 2,000 hours in the air when World War II broke out while he was studying law at USC.
Shell was a civilian flight instructor with the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1943 and then joined the Navy in 1944, where he served as a senior pilot in the air transport service.
After the war he worked as an independent oil producer — drilling in the Kern County oil fields while living in Los Angeles.
Les Clark of the Independent Oil Producers' Agency remembered Shell as an astute, experienced observer of both the oil business and politics.
"I can think of nothing but good times when I think of Joe Shell," Clark said. "I'm saddened to hear he's passed on."
Shell knew what he thought and made sure other people knew where he stood, Clark said.
"You didn't misread where Joe was coming from," Clark said.
Shell was a "hard-shelled conservative Republican who hasn't altered his political philosophy one whit" and "believes in free enterprise, low taxes and minimal government," political writer Dan Walters wrote in 1989.
Former Congressman Bill Thomas remembered Shell as a commanding, forceful figure with a clear vision of the world.
"Like a lot of athletes, he led by doing rather than saying," Thomas said. "With Joe, gray was not a color in his pallet. It was black or white."
In 1953, Shell was elected to the California State Assembly, representing the Wilshire district of Los Angeles.
He won five straight elections through 1961 and was the Assembly minority leader.
Thomas lauded him as a "major, major political figure in California politics."
He first met Shell in 1962 while still a student at California State University, San Francisco. Thomas was one of a handful of Young Republicans there and invited Shell to speak on campus.
"He was kind enough to come and I think we did a good job of shaking up the ‘establishment' of SF state," Thomas recalled.
It was during his time in the Assembly that now-Mary K. Shell came to his attention for her work in Kern County. She had founded the Bakersfield Republican Women Federated and worked diligently registering new Republican voters here.
Joe Shell was impressed.
"They had reorganized a county which was known as a bastion of Democratic politics," Joe Shell once said. "It was a beautiful model for others to follow around the state."
He was so impressed, in fact, he picked Mary to run his Kern County gubernatorial campaign in 1962. Richard Nixon won the primary, but was later defeated by Pat Brown.
Shell didn't run for public office again, though he remained very active in state and local politics.
He and Mary married in 1970 and together returned to the oil business. In 1978, drilling wells in the Deer Creek area near Porterville. They still own the property, but have since abandoned the wells.
In 1989, Gov. George Deukmejian appointed him to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board. He served for a couple of years but resigned, saying there wasn't enough to keep him busy. He suggested the ALRB membership be reduced.
Back in Bakersfield, Shell was a stalwart in the local Republican party and supported Mary as she ran for and won a seat as Bakersfield's mayor in 1980 and later a seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors in 1984. She was re-elected to the board in 1988 and 1992.
"They were such a tremendous pair," Clark said of Joe and Mary K. "He worshipped the ground she walked on."
Joe Shell has two daughters and four sons. Mary has one son. Funeral arrangements were not announced Monday.
Shell, Joe
Joe Shell September 7, 1918 - April 7, 2008 Pilot, state assemblyman, candidate for Governor, oil producer, lover of his family and all dogs. That was Joe Shell. He passed away peacefully at home Monday morning, April 7, after a lengthy illness. He was 89. A family graveside military service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, April 11, at Hillcrest Memorial Park, followed by a memorial service conducted by Rev. Dr. Gregory Horn at 2:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 17th & H streets. Pallbearers will be Paul Morton, Harry Stone, Welby Cramer, Michael Purdy and Bernell Whitaker. Joe was born in LaConner, Washington, raised in San Diego but has resided in Bakersfield for the last 38 years after he and his wife, Mary K. were married. He was a driving force in convincing Mary K. to first run for Mayor of Bakersfield in 1980 and then successfully campaign for county supervisor in 1984. He cheerfully accompanied her to many civic events for 16 years, while she was in office. Joe showed qualities of leadership early. He excelled in academics and athletics, served as student body president at Hoover High School in San Diego and played on the school's football team, which attracted the attention of several major universities. He was courted by the U.S. Naval Academy, Stanford University and the University of Southern California. He chose USC, where he played three years of varsity football and was captain of the 1939 undefeated team. Twice his team played in the Rose Bowl. Teammate and quarterback Ambrose Schindler has been his close friend for many years. "Amby" and Joe often would reminisce about their games, even remembering the plays. Joe was only 14 when he started to learn to fly. He had his private pilot's license at 16 and by the time World War II broke out he had well over 2000 hours in the air. He was actively engaged in the oil industry, was attending USC's law school and started instructing cadets for the Army Air Corps at Cal Aero and Lancaster. He wanted to join the Air Corps but they wanted him to stay as a civilian instructor. So he went down the street and joined the Navy. Because of his experience in the air he was assigned to air transport and all different types of aircraft. After the war he returned to the oil business as an independent producer. He drilled many of the wells in Bakersfield area even though he lived in Los Angeles at the time. During those years he continued to fly and owned, at different times, several WWII surplus planes, including a Grumman Wildcat, a Corsair, a P-51 and a twin Beech. He also flew a Staggerwing Beech, which he contended was of superior design. He had plenty of experience to advise Mary K. in politics. Joe was elected to represent the 58th Assembly District in Los Angeles in a special election in 1953. While serving in the legislature for the next 10 years, he authored many bills, but was most proud of the State Scholarship Act, which has afforded thousands of young people an education at both private and public universities. He served as Republican Floor Leader for four years then was urged to run for Governor of California in the 1962 election. However, Richard Nixon also decided to run and he came out from New York and captured the nomination only to be defeated later by Pat Brown. Political writers have often said Joe helped pave the way for Ronald Reagan's win because of his efforts in energizing volunteers in 1962. Soon after he turned to more relaxing endeavors by entering and placing third in the TransPacific sailing race. His boat was the Khamsin. He returned to Sacramento as an advocate for a group of independent oil producers and refiners. He commuted between Bakersfield and Sacramento and then in 1989 he was named to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board by Gov. George Deukmejian. He served until 1991. A few years earlier he leased some land near Terra Bella and drilled a few producing wells. The Shells eventually bought the land and moved a Porterville High School-built home onto it. The wells started to decline so Joe abandoned them in the early 1990's. In 1940, after graduating from USC with a Bachelor's degree in Business, he married the former Barbara Morton. They had five children: Barbara (Stone), Joe Jr., David, Harold and Diane (Morton). Lynn, a nephew, became his son when Lynn lost his parents. Barbara and Joe parted in 1968. In 1970 he married Mary K. Hosking who has a son, Geoffrey Hosking. They have been married more than 38 years. Joe's father was Joseph Lieb Shell, who served as a municipal court and superior court judge in San Diego. His mother, Nell (Schunemann) was a homemaker. His sister was Cheryl. All have predeceased him. He is survived by his wife, Mary K.; daughter, Barbara Stone and husband, Harry of Whittier; son, Joe Jr. of Dana Point; son, David and wife, Merrilee of Elk Grove; son, Harold and wife, Patricia of San Ramon; daughter, Diane Morton and husband, Paul of Alamo; and son, Lynn of Porterville. Also surviving are grandchildren, Robert and Steven Stone, Stacey and Brian Shell, Dana and Ryan Shell, Nicole Shell and Emily and Jennifer Morton. Great-grandchildren are: Matthew, Mark and Justin Stone and Ellie and Thomas Stone. Joe had a real interest in good, honest government at all levels. To quote Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters in a 1989 article, "Shell was, and still is, a hard-shelled conservative Republican who hasn't altered his political philosophy one whit in all the years he's been in politics. He believes in free enterprise, low taxes and minimal government." Walters concluded with, "One might argue philosophy with Joe Shell from dawn to dusk, but his ideology is less important than his character. He has survived two generations in politics with his integrity intact, and that's a lesson for all who aspire to office." In lieu of flowers, his family suggests donating to the Bakersfield SPCA or his church, Westminster Presbyterian. It is also the family's wish to acknowledge and give special thanks to his caregivers from Odyssey Hospice, Interim HealthCare and Agape HealthCare. Hopson-Anspach Family Mortuary
Published in the Bakersfield Californian on 4/9/2008.
The Bakersfield Californian | Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 5:20 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 5:54 PM
Services have been scheduled for civic leader Joe Shell, who died Monday at 89.
Longtime civic leader Joe Shell dies at 89
A graveside service will be held 1 p.m. Friday at Hillcrest Memorial Park. A memorial will follow at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1705 17th St.
Shell was an independent oil producer, Assemblyman and gubernatorial primary candidate and husband of Mary K. Shell, a former Bakersfield mayor and Kern County supervisor.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released a statement about him Tuesday.
"Joe Shell was a dedicated, loyal public servant to the state of California," he said. "He contributed years of faithful service to his district during his time in the state legislature and was thoroughly committed to bettering the lives of Californians.
"Maria and I extend our deepest condolences to Joe's family during this time of mourning."
Longtime civic leader Joe Shell dies at 89
The Bakersfield Californian | Monday, Apr 7 2008 12:17 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 7:44 AM
Joe Shell was an unusual sort of politician.
When the lanky independent oil man ran an unsuccessful bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 1962, he racked up a campaign debt of $200,000. These days, politicians often carry much greater debt for years, letting it linger until it's forgotten.
Not Shell.
"He sold his business and paid it all off," said Mary K. Shell, his wife of nearly four decades. "Have you ever heard of that happening?
"He was quite a guy."
Joe Shell died Monday at 89.
Mary Shell said her husband broke a hip last year but was getting around on a walker. Then he broke a couple ribs in January and just couldn't rally.
That's hard to imagine for a man who seemed to take on so many challenges with an almost effortless grace.
He was born in Washington state in 1918 and moved with his family to San Diego at 2. His mother was a homemaker and his father a judge.
Shell played football, and did it well enough to earn college offers from the U.S. Naval Academy, Stanford University and the University of Southern California.
He chose USC and played three years of varsity football, captained the undefeated 1939 team and competed in the Rose Bowl twice.
He was also a pilot, learning to fly at age 14. He had 2,000 hours in the air when World War II broke out while he was studying law at USC.
Shell was a civilian flight instructor with the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1943 and then joined the Navy in 1944, where he served as a senior pilot in the air transport service.
After the war he worked as an independent oil producer — drilling in the Kern County oil fields while living in Los Angeles.
Les Clark of the Independent Oil Producers' Agency remembered Shell as an astute, experienced observer of both the oil business and politics.
"I can think of nothing but good times when I think of Joe Shell," Clark said. "I'm saddened to hear he's passed on."
Shell knew what he thought and made sure other people knew where he stood, Clark said.
"You didn't misread where Joe was coming from," Clark said.
Shell was a "hard-shelled conservative Republican who hasn't altered his political philosophy one whit" and "believes in free enterprise, low taxes and minimal government," political writer Dan Walters wrote in 1989.
Former Congressman Bill Thomas remembered Shell as a commanding, forceful figure with a clear vision of the world.
"Like a lot of athletes, he led by doing rather than saying," Thomas said. "With Joe, gray was not a color in his pallet. It was black or white."
In 1953, Shell was elected to the California State Assembly, representing the Wilshire district of Los Angeles.
He won five straight elections through 1961 and was the Assembly minority leader.
Thomas lauded him as a "major, major political figure in California politics."
He first met Shell in 1962 while still a student at California State University, San Francisco. Thomas was one of a handful of Young Republicans there and invited Shell to speak on campus.
"He was kind enough to come and I think we did a good job of shaking up the ‘establishment' of SF state," Thomas recalled.
It was during his time in the Assembly that now-Mary K. Shell came to his attention for her work in Kern County. She had founded the Bakersfield Republican Women Federated and worked diligently registering new Republican voters here.
Joe Shell was impressed.
"They had reorganized a county which was known as a bastion of Democratic politics," Joe Shell once said. "It was a beautiful model for others to follow around the state."
He was so impressed, in fact, he picked Mary to run his Kern County gubernatorial campaign in 1962. Richard Nixon won the primary, but was later defeated by Pat Brown.
Shell didn't run for public office again, though he remained very active in state and local politics.
He and Mary married in 1970 and together returned to the oil business. In 1978, drilling wells in the Deer Creek area near Porterville. They still own the property, but have since abandoned the wells.
In 1989, Gov. George Deukmejian appointed him to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board. He served for a couple of years but resigned, saying there wasn't enough to keep him busy. He suggested the ALRB membership be reduced.
Back in Bakersfield, Shell was a stalwart in the local Republican party and supported Mary as she ran for and won a seat as Bakersfield's mayor in 1980 and later a seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors in 1984. She was re-elected to the board in 1988 and 1992.
"They were such a tremendous pair," Clark said of Joe and Mary K. "He worshipped the ground she walked on."
Joe Shell has two daughters and four sons. Mary has one son. Funeral arrangements were not announced Monday.
Shell, Joe
Joe Shell September 7, 1918 - April 7, 2008 Pilot, state assemblyman, candidate for Governor, oil producer, lover of his family and all dogs. That was Joe Shell. He passed away peacefully at home Monday morning, April 7, after a lengthy illness. He was 89. A family graveside military service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, April 11, at Hillcrest Memorial Park, followed by a memorial service conducted by Rev. Dr. Gregory Horn at 2:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 17th & H streets. Pallbearers will be Paul Morton, Harry Stone, Welby Cramer, Michael Purdy and Bernell Whitaker. Joe was born in LaConner, Washington, raised in San Diego but has resided in Bakersfield for the last 38 years after he and his wife, Mary K. were married. He was a driving force in convincing Mary K. to first run for Mayor of Bakersfield in 1980 and then successfully campaign for county supervisor in 1984. He cheerfully accompanied her to many civic events for 16 years, while she was in office. Joe showed qualities of leadership early. He excelled in academics and athletics, served as student body president at Hoover High School in San Diego and played on the school's football team, which attracted the attention of several major universities. He was courted by the U.S. Naval Academy, Stanford University and the University of Southern California. He chose USC, where he played three years of varsity football and was captain of the 1939 undefeated team. Twice his team played in the Rose Bowl. Teammate and quarterback Ambrose Schindler has been his close friend for many years. "Amby" and Joe often would reminisce about their games, even remembering the plays. Joe was only 14 when he started to learn to fly. He had his private pilot's license at 16 and by the time World War II broke out he had well over 2000 hours in the air. He was actively engaged in the oil industry, was attending USC's law school and started instructing cadets for the Army Air Corps at Cal Aero and Lancaster. He wanted to join the Air Corps but they wanted him to stay as a civilian instructor. So he went down the street and joined the Navy. Because of his experience in the air he was assigned to air transport and all different types of aircraft. After the war he returned to the oil business as an independent producer. He drilled many of the wells in Bakersfield area even though he lived in Los Angeles at the time. During those years he continued to fly and owned, at different times, several WWII surplus planes, including a Grumman Wildcat, a Corsair, a P-51 and a twin Beech. He also flew a Staggerwing Beech, which he contended was of superior design. He had plenty of experience to advise Mary K. in politics. Joe was elected to represent the 58th Assembly District in Los Angeles in a special election in 1953. While serving in the legislature for the next 10 years, he authored many bills, but was most proud of the State Scholarship Act, which has afforded thousands of young people an education at both private and public universities. He served as Republican Floor Leader for four years then was urged to run for Governor of California in the 1962 election. However, Richard Nixon also decided to run and he came out from New York and captured the nomination only to be defeated later by Pat Brown. Political writers have often said Joe helped pave the way for Ronald Reagan's win because of his efforts in energizing volunteers in 1962. Soon after he turned to more relaxing endeavors by entering and placing third in the TransPacific sailing race. His boat was the Khamsin. He returned to Sacramento as an advocate for a group of independent oil producers and refiners. He commuted between Bakersfield and Sacramento and then in 1989 he was named to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board by Gov. George Deukmejian. He served until 1991. A few years earlier he leased some land near Terra Bella and drilled a few producing wells. The Shells eventually bought the land and moved a Porterville High School-built home onto it. The wells started to decline so Joe abandoned them in the early 1990's. In 1940, after graduating from USC with a Bachelor's degree in Business, he married the former Barbara Morton. They had five children: Barbara (Stone), Joe Jr., David, Harold and Diane (Morton). Lynn, a nephew, became his son when Lynn lost his parents. Barbara and Joe parted in 1968. In 1970 he married Mary K. Hosking who has a son, Geoffrey Hosking. They have been married more than 38 years. Joe's father was Joseph Lieb Shell, who served as a municipal court and superior court judge in San Diego. His mother, Nell (Schunemann) was a homemaker. His sister was Cheryl. All have predeceased him. He is survived by his wife, Mary K.; daughter, Barbara Stone and husband, Harry of Whittier; son, Joe Jr. of Dana Point; son, David and wife, Merrilee of Elk Grove; son, Harold and wife, Patricia of San Ramon; daughter, Diane Morton and husband, Paul of Alamo; and son, Lynn of Porterville. Also surviving are grandchildren, Robert and Steven Stone, Stacey and Brian Shell, Dana and Ryan Shell, Nicole Shell and Emily and Jennifer Morton. Great-grandchildren are: Matthew, Mark and Justin Stone and Ellie and Thomas Stone. Joe had a real interest in good, honest government at all levels. To quote Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters in a 1989 article, "Shell was, and still is, a hard-shelled conservative Republican who hasn't altered his political philosophy one whit in all the years he's been in politics. He believes in free enterprise, low taxes and minimal government." Walters concluded with, "One might argue philosophy with Joe Shell from dawn to dusk, but his ideology is less important than his character. He has survived two generations in politics with his integrity intact, and that's a lesson for all who aspire to office." In lieu of flowers, his family suggests donating to the Bakersfield SPCA or his church, Westminster Presbyterian. It is also the family's wish to acknowledge and give special thanks to his caregivers from Odyssey Hospice, Interim HealthCare and Agape HealthCare. Hopson-Anspach Family Mortuary
Published in the Bakersfield Californian on 4/9/2008.
Services scheduled for Joe Shell
The Bakersfield Californian | Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 5:20 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 5:54 PM
Services have been scheduled for civic leader Joe Shell, who died Monday at 89.
Longtime civic leader Joe Shell dies at 89
A graveside service will be held 1 p.m. Friday at Hillcrest Memorial Park. A memorial will follow at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1705 17th St.
Shell was an independent oil producer, Assemblyman and gubernatorial primary candidate and husband of Mary K. Shell, a former Bakersfield mayor and Kern County supervisor.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released a statement about him Tuesday.
"Joe Shell was a dedicated, loyal public servant to the state of California," he said. "He contributed years of faithful service to his district during his time in the state legislature and was thoroughly committed to bettering the lives of Californians.
"Maria and I extend our deepest condolences to Joe's family during this time of mourning."
Longtime civic leader Joe Shell dies at 89
The Bakersfield Californian | Monday, Apr 7 2008 12:17 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 7:44 AM
Joe Shell was an unusual sort of politician.
When the lanky independent oil man ran an unsuccessful bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 1962, he racked up a campaign debt of $200,000. These days, politicians often carry much greater debt for years, letting it linger until it's forgotten.
Not Shell.
"He sold his business and paid it all off," said Mary K. Shell, his wife of nearly four decades. "Have you ever heard of that happening?
"He was quite a guy."
Joe Shell died Monday at 89.
Mary Shell said her husband broke a hip last year but was getting around on a walker. Then he broke a couple ribs in January and just couldn't rally.
That's hard to imagine for a man who seemed to take on so many challenges with an almost effortless grace.
He was born in Washington state in 1918 and moved with his family to San Diego at 2. His mother was a homemaker and his father a judge.
Shell played football, and did it well enough to earn college offers from the U.S. Naval Academy, Stanford University and the University of Southern California.
He chose USC and played three years of varsity football, captained the undefeated 1939 team and competed in the Rose Bowl twice.
He was also a pilot, learning to fly at age 14. He had 2,000 hours in the air when World War II broke out while he was studying law at USC.
Shell was a civilian flight instructor with the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1943 and then joined the Navy in 1944, where he served as a senior pilot in the air transport service.
After the war he worked as an independent oil producer — drilling in the Kern County oil fields while living in Los Angeles.
Les Clark of the Independent Oil Producers' Agency remembered Shell as an astute, experienced observer of both the oil business and politics.
"I can think of nothing but good times when I think of Joe Shell," Clark said. "I'm saddened to hear he's passed on."
Shell knew what he thought and made sure other people knew where he stood, Clark said.
"You didn't misread where Joe was coming from," Clark said.
Shell was a "hard-shelled conservative Republican who hasn't altered his political philosophy one whit" and "believes in free enterprise, low taxes and minimal government," political writer Dan Walters wrote in 1989.
Former Congressman Bill Thomas remembered Shell as a commanding, forceful figure with a clear vision of the world.
"Like a lot of athletes, he led by doing rather than saying," Thomas said. "With Joe, gray was not a color in his pallet. It was black or white."
In 1953, Shell was elected to the California State Assembly, representing the Wilshire district of Los Angeles.
He won five straight elections through 1961 and was the Assembly minority leader.
Thomas lauded him as a "major, major political figure in California politics."
He first met Shell in 1962 while still a student at California State University, San Francisco. Thomas was one of a handful of Young Republicans there and invited Shell to speak on campus.
"He was kind enough to come and I think we did a good job of shaking up the ‘establishment' of SF state," Thomas recalled.
It was during his time in the Assembly that now-Mary K. Shell came to his attention for her work in Kern County. She had founded the Bakersfield Republican Women Federated and worked diligently registering new Republican voters here.
Joe Shell was impressed.
"They had reorganized a county which was known as a bastion of Democratic politics," Joe Shell once said. "It was a beautiful model for others to follow around the state."
He was so impressed, in fact, he picked Mary to run his Kern County gubernatorial campaign in 1962. Richard Nixon won the primary, but was later defeated by Pat Brown.
Shell didn't run for public office again, though he remained very active in state and local politics.
He and Mary married in 1970 and together returned to the oil business. In 1978, drilling wells in the Deer Creek area near Porterville. They still own the property, but have since abandoned the wells.
In 1989, Gov. George Deukmejian appointed him to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board. He served for a couple of years but resigned, saying there wasn't enough to keep him busy. He suggested the ALRB membership be reduced.
Back in Bakersfield, Shell was a stalwart in the local Republican party and supported Mary as she ran for and won a seat as Bakersfield's mayor in 1980 and later a seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors in 1984. She was re-elected to the board in 1988 and 1992.
"They were such a tremendous pair," Clark said of Joe and Mary K. "He worshipped the ground she walked on."
Joe Shell has two daughters and four sons. Mary has one son. Funeral arrangements were not announced Monday.
Shell, Joe
Joe Shell September 7, 1918 - April 7, 2008 Pilot, state assemblyman, candidate for Governor, oil producer, lover of his family and all dogs. That was Joe Shell. He passed away peacefully at home Monday morning, April 7, after a lengthy illness. He was 89. A family graveside military service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, April 11, at Hillcrest Memorial Park, followed by a memorial service conducted by Rev. Dr. Gregory Horn at 2:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 17th & H streets. Pallbearers will be Paul Morton, Harry Stone, Welby Cramer, Michael Purdy and Bernell Whitaker. Joe was born in LaConner, Washington, raised in San Diego but has resided in Bakersfield for the last 38 years after he and his wife, Mary K. were married. He was a driving force in convincing Mary K. to first run for Mayor of Bakersfield in 1980 and then successfully campaign for county supervisor in 1984. He cheerfully accompanied her to many civic events for 16 years, while she was in office. Joe showed qualities of leadership early. He excelled in academics and athletics, served as student body president at Hoover High School in San Diego and played on the school's football team, which attracted the attention of several major universities. He was courted by the U.S. Naval Academy, Stanford University and the University of Southern California. He chose USC, where he played three years of varsity football and was captain of the 1939 undefeated team. Twice his team played in the Rose Bowl. Teammate and quarterback Ambrose Schindler has been his close friend for many years. "Amby" and Joe often would reminisce about their games, even remembering the plays. Joe was only 14 when he started to learn to fly. He had his private pilot's license at 16 and by the time World War II broke out he had well over 2000 hours in the air. He was actively engaged in the oil industry, was attending USC's law school and started instructing cadets for the Army Air Corps at Cal Aero and Lancaster. He wanted to join the Air Corps but they wanted him to stay as a civilian instructor. So he went down the street and joined the Navy. Because of his experience in the air he was assigned to air transport and all different types of aircraft. After the war he returned to the oil business as an independent producer. He drilled many of the wells in Bakersfield area even though he lived in Los Angeles at the time. During those years he continued to fly and owned, at different times, several WWII surplus planes, including a Grumman Wildcat, a Corsair, a P-51 and a twin Beech. He also flew a Staggerwing Beech, which he contended was of superior design. He had plenty of experience to advise Mary K. in politics. Joe was elected to represent the 58th Assembly District in Los Angeles in a special election in 1953. While serving in the legislature for the next 10 years, he authored many bills, but was most proud of the State Scholarship Act, which has afforded thousands of young people an education at both private and public universities. He served as Republican Floor Leader for four years then was urged to run for Governor of California in the 1962 election. However, Richard Nixon also decided to run and he came out from New York and captured the nomination only to be defeated later by Pat Brown. Political writers have often said Joe helped pave the way for Ronald Reagan's win because of his efforts in energizing volunteers in 1962. Soon after he turned to more relaxing endeavors by entering and placing third in the TransPacific sailing race. His boat was the Khamsin. He returned to Sacramento as an advocate for a group of independent oil producers and refiners. He commuted between Bakersfield and Sacramento and then in 1989 he was named to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board by Gov. George Deukmejian. He served until 1991. A few years earlier he leased some land near Terra Bella and drilled a few producing wells. The Shells eventually bought the land and moved a Porterville High School-built home onto it. The wells started to decline so Joe abandoned them in the early 1990's. In 1940, after graduating from USC with a Bachelor's degree in Business, he married the former Barbara Morton. They had five children: Barbara (Stone), Joe Jr., David, Harold and Diane (Morton). Lynn, a nephew, became his son when Lynn lost his parents. Barbara and Joe parted in 1968. In 1970 he married Mary K. Hosking who has a son, Geoffrey Hosking. They have been married more than 38 years. Joe's father was Joseph Lieb Shell, who served as a municipal court and superior court judge in San Diego. His mother, Nell (Schunemann) was a homemaker. His sister was Cheryl. All have predeceased him. He is survived by his wife, Mary K.; daughter, Barbara Stone and husband, Harry of Whittier; son, Joe Jr. of Dana Point; son, David and wife, Merrilee of Elk Grove; son, Harold and wife, Patricia of San Ramon; daughter, Diane Morton and husband, Paul of Alamo; and son, Lynn of Porterville. Also surviving are grandchildren, Robert and Steven Stone, Stacey and Brian Shell, Dana and Ryan Shell, Nicole Shell and Emily and Jennifer Morton. Great-grandchildren are: Matthew, Mark and Justin Stone and Ellie and Thomas Stone. Joe had a real interest in good, honest government at all levels. To quote Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters in a 1989 article, "Shell was, and still is, a hard-shelled conservative Republican who hasn't altered his political philosophy one whit in all the years he's been in politics. He believes in free enterprise, low taxes and minimal government." Walters concluded with, "One might argue philosophy with Joe Shell from dawn to dusk, but his ideology is less important than his character. He has survived two generations in politics with his integrity intact, and that's a lesson for all who aspire to office." In lieu of flowers, his family suggests donating to the Bakersfield SPCA or his church, Westminster Presbyterian. It is also the family's wish to acknowledge and give special thanks to his caregivers from Odyssey Hospice, Interim HealthCare and Agape HealthCare. Hopson-Anspach Family Mortuary
Published in the Bakersfield Californian on 4/9/2008.
The Bakersfield Californian | Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 5:20 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 5:54 PM
Services have been scheduled for civic leader Joe Shell, who died Monday at 89.
Longtime civic leader Joe Shell dies at 89
A graveside service will be held 1 p.m. Friday at Hillcrest Memorial Park. A memorial will follow at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1705 17th St.
Shell was an independent oil producer, Assemblyman and gubernatorial primary candidate and husband of Mary K. Shell, a former Bakersfield mayor and Kern County supervisor.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released a statement about him Tuesday.
"Joe Shell was a dedicated, loyal public servant to the state of California," he said. "He contributed years of faithful service to his district during his time in the state legislature and was thoroughly committed to bettering the lives of Californians.
"Maria and I extend our deepest condolences to Joe's family during this time of mourning."
Longtime civic leader Joe Shell dies at 89
The Bakersfield Californian | Monday, Apr 7 2008 12:17 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Apr 8 2008 7:44 AM
Joe Shell was an unusual sort of politician.
When the lanky independent oil man ran an unsuccessful bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 1962, he racked up a campaign debt of $200,000. These days, politicians often carry much greater debt for years, letting it linger until it's forgotten.
Not Shell.
"He sold his business and paid it all off," said Mary K. Shell, his wife of nearly four decades. "Have you ever heard of that happening?
"He was quite a guy."
Joe Shell died Monday at 89.
Mary Shell said her husband broke a hip last year but was getting around on a walker. Then he broke a couple ribs in January and just couldn't rally.
That's hard to imagine for a man who seemed to take on so many challenges with an almost effortless grace.
He was born in Washington state in 1918 and moved with his family to San Diego at 2. His mother was a homemaker and his father a judge.
Shell played football, and did it well enough to earn college offers from the U.S. Naval Academy, Stanford University and the University of Southern California.
He chose USC and played three years of varsity football, captained the undefeated 1939 team and competed in the Rose Bowl twice.
He was also a pilot, learning to fly at age 14. He had 2,000 hours in the air when World War II broke out while he was studying law at USC.
Shell was a civilian flight instructor with the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1943 and then joined the Navy in 1944, where he served as a senior pilot in the air transport service.
After the war he worked as an independent oil producer — drilling in the Kern County oil fields while living in Los Angeles.
Les Clark of the Independent Oil Producers' Agency remembered Shell as an astute, experienced observer of both the oil business and politics.
"I can think of nothing but good times when I think of Joe Shell," Clark said. "I'm saddened to hear he's passed on."
Shell knew what he thought and made sure other people knew where he stood, Clark said.
"You didn't misread where Joe was coming from," Clark said.
Shell was a "hard-shelled conservative Republican who hasn't altered his political philosophy one whit" and "believes in free enterprise, low taxes and minimal government," political writer Dan Walters wrote in 1989.
Former Congressman Bill Thomas remembered Shell as a commanding, forceful figure with a clear vision of the world.
"Like a lot of athletes, he led by doing rather than saying," Thomas said. "With Joe, gray was not a color in his pallet. It was black or white."
In 1953, Shell was elected to the California State Assembly, representing the Wilshire district of Los Angeles.
He won five straight elections through 1961 and was the Assembly minority leader.
Thomas lauded him as a "major, major political figure in California politics."
He first met Shell in 1962 while still a student at California State University, San Francisco. Thomas was one of a handful of Young Republicans there and invited Shell to speak on campus.
"He was kind enough to come and I think we did a good job of shaking up the ‘establishment' of SF state," Thomas recalled.
It was during his time in the Assembly that now-Mary K. Shell came to his attention for her work in Kern County. She had founded the Bakersfield Republican Women Federated and worked diligently registering new Republican voters here.
Joe Shell was impressed.
"They had reorganized a county which was known as a bastion of Democratic politics," Joe Shell once said. "It was a beautiful model for others to follow around the state."
He was so impressed, in fact, he picked Mary to run his Kern County gubernatorial campaign in 1962. Richard Nixon won the primary, but was later defeated by Pat Brown.
Shell didn't run for public office again, though he remained very active in state and local politics.
He and Mary married in 1970 and together returned to the oil business. In 1978, drilling wells in the Deer Creek area near Porterville. They still own the property, but have since abandoned the wells.
In 1989, Gov. George Deukmejian appointed him to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board. He served for a couple of years but resigned, saying there wasn't enough to keep him busy. He suggested the ALRB membership be reduced.
Back in Bakersfield, Shell was a stalwart in the local Republican party and supported Mary as she ran for and won a seat as Bakersfield's mayor in 1980 and later a seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors in 1984. She was re-elected to the board in 1988 and 1992.
"They were such a tremendous pair," Clark said of Joe and Mary K. "He worshipped the ground she walked on."
Joe Shell has two daughters and four sons. Mary has one son. Funeral arrangements were not announced Monday.
Shell, Joe
Joe Shell September 7, 1918 - April 7, 2008 Pilot, state assemblyman, candidate for Governor, oil producer, lover of his family and all dogs. That was Joe Shell. He passed away peacefully at home Monday morning, April 7, after a lengthy illness. He was 89. A family graveside military service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, April 11, at Hillcrest Memorial Park, followed by a memorial service conducted by Rev. Dr. Gregory Horn at 2:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 17th & H streets. Pallbearers will be Paul Morton, Harry Stone, Welby Cramer, Michael Purdy and Bernell Whitaker. Joe was born in LaConner, Washington, raised in San Diego but has resided in Bakersfield for the last 38 years after he and his wife, Mary K. were married. He was a driving force in convincing Mary K. to first run for Mayor of Bakersfield in 1980 and then successfully campaign for county supervisor in 1984. He cheerfully accompanied her to many civic events for 16 years, while she was in office. Joe showed qualities of leadership early. He excelled in academics and athletics, served as student body president at Hoover High School in San Diego and played on the school's football team, which attracted the attention of several major universities. He was courted by the U.S. Naval Academy, Stanford University and the University of Southern California. He chose USC, where he played three years of varsity football and was captain of the 1939 undefeated team. Twice his team played in the Rose Bowl. Teammate and quarterback Ambrose Schindler has been his close friend for many years. "Amby" and Joe often would reminisce about their games, even remembering the plays. Joe was only 14 when he started to learn to fly. He had his private pilot's license at 16 and by the time World War II broke out he had well over 2000 hours in the air. He was actively engaged in the oil industry, was attending USC's law school and started instructing cadets for the Army Air Corps at Cal Aero and Lancaster. He wanted to join the Air Corps but they wanted him to stay as a civilian instructor. So he went down the street and joined the Navy. Because of his experience in the air he was assigned to air transport and all different types of aircraft. After the war he returned to the oil business as an independent producer. He drilled many of the wells in Bakersfield area even though he lived in Los Angeles at the time. During those years he continued to fly and owned, at different times, several WWII surplus planes, including a Grumman Wildcat, a Corsair, a P-51 and a twin Beech. He also flew a Staggerwing Beech, which he contended was of superior design. He had plenty of experience to advise Mary K. in politics. Joe was elected to represent the 58th Assembly District in Los Angeles in a special election in 1953. While serving in the legislature for the next 10 years, he authored many bills, but was most proud of the State Scholarship Act, which has afforded thousands of young people an education at both private and public universities. He served as Republican Floor Leader for four years then was urged to run for Governor of California in the 1962 election. However, Richard Nixon also decided to run and he came out from New York and captured the nomination only to be defeated later by Pat Brown. Political writers have often said Joe helped pave the way for Ronald Reagan's win because of his efforts in energizing volunteers in 1962. Soon after he turned to more relaxing endeavors by entering and placing third in the TransPacific sailing race. His boat was the Khamsin. He returned to Sacramento as an advocate for a group of independent oil producers and refiners. He commuted between Bakersfield and Sacramento and then in 1989 he was named to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board by Gov. George Deukmejian. He served until 1991. A few years earlier he leased some land near Terra Bella and drilled a few producing wells. The Shells eventually bought the land and moved a Porterville High School-built home onto it. The wells started to decline so Joe abandoned them in the early 1990's. In 1940, after graduating from USC with a Bachelor's degree in Business, he married the former Barbara Morton. They had five children: Barbara (Stone), Joe Jr., David, Harold and Diane (Morton). Lynn, a nephew, became his son when Lynn lost his parents. Barbara and Joe parted in 1968. In 1970 he married Mary K. Hosking who has a son, Geoffrey Hosking. They have been married more than 38 years. Joe's father was Joseph Lieb Shell, who served as a municipal court and superior court judge in San Diego. His mother, Nell (Schunemann) was a homemaker. His sister was Cheryl. All have predeceased him. He is survived by his wife, Mary K.; daughter, Barbara Stone and husband, Harry of Whittier; son, Joe Jr. of Dana Point; son, David and wife, Merrilee of Elk Grove; son, Harold and wife, Patricia of San Ramon; daughter, Diane Morton and husband, Paul of Alamo; and son, Lynn of Porterville. Also surviving are grandchildren, Robert and Steven Stone, Stacey and Brian Shell, Dana and Ryan Shell, Nicole Shell and Emily and Jennifer Morton. Great-grandchildren are: Matthew, Mark and Justin Stone and Ellie and Thomas Stone. Joe had a real interest in good, honest government at all levels. To quote Sacramento Bee columnist Dan Walters in a 1989 article, "Shell was, and still is, a hard-shelled conservative Republican who hasn't altered his political philosophy one whit in all the years he's been in politics. He believes in free enterprise, low taxes and minimal government." Walters concluded with, "One might argue philosophy with Joe Shell from dawn to dusk, but his ideology is less important than his character. He has survived two generations in politics with his integrity intact, and that's a lesson for all who aspire to office." In lieu of flowers, his family suggests donating to the Bakersfield SPCA or his church, Westminster Presbyterian. It is also the family's wish to acknowledge and give special thanks to his caregivers from Odyssey Hospice, Interim HealthCare and Agape HealthCare. Hopson-Anspach Family Mortuary
Published in the Bakersfield Californian on 4/9/2008.
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