Virginia Shell

Lake Junaluska-Virginia Law Shell, age 80, of South Lakeshore Drive, died Monday, January 12, 2004 at Haywood Regional Medical Center.

She was a native of Dothan, Alabama and was the daughter of the late Clinton and Margaret Stokes Williams. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Burleigh Law, who died a martyr in 1964 while serving as a lay missionary in the Congo. She was also preceded in death by two brothers, John and Clinton Williams.

She attended Asbury College, was a graduate of Florida State University, and Alliance Francais in Belgium. She received her Master of Arts from Scaritt College. She was employed as director of family worship for the United Methodist Church and was instrumental in developing the marriage enrichment program for the United Methodist church. She was a life time member of the board of directors of Good News and had published three books, and had touched the lives of thousands. She was also a member of Long's Chapel United Methodist Church.

She is survived by her husband of 30 years, Donald L. Shell; one daughter, Margaret Howell and her husband, Andrew, who are missionaries in France; four sons, David Law and his wife, Leveda, and Paul Law, who are missionaries in the Congo, Allyn Shell and his wife Carol of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Peter Shell and his wife Charlotte, of Schweinfurt, Germany; two sisters, Jane Kelley of Lake Junaluska, and Anne Williams of Tallahassee, Flordia; one brother, George Williams of Rockledge, Florida; 14 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, January 24, 2004 at Long's Chapel United Methodist Church. The Reverend Robert E. Fuquay, Jr. will officiate. The family will receive friends Saturday, January 24, 2004 from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. at Wells Funeral Homes and Cremation Services of Waynesville.

Memorials may be made to the Shell-Law Scholarship Fund, c/o Asbury Theological Seminary, 204 N. Lexington Avenue, Wilmore, Kentucky 40390, or to the Virginia Shell Memorial Fund, c/o Long's Chapel United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 459, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745.

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