Benny Lee Shell

Benny Lee Shell, 79, of Cape Girardeau, died on October 6, 2013, after a sixteen-year battle with leukemia. He was born to Loren and Ennis Owens Shell at Greenbrier, Missouri, on August 20, 1934. He married his college sweetheart, Shelby Ann Mouser, on October 26, 1957. She survives. Ben held both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts degrees from Southeast Missouri State University. Upon graduation with the undergraduate degree, he was inducted into the U.S. Army as a private and was assigned to Army Intelligence as an investigator. He chose to make the military a career, and became a Warrant Officer in 1963. His duty stateside was doing background checks on candidates for secret or top-secret clearances, and one of those included Astronaut Gus Grissom. With two tours in Germany, his status as a German and French linguist were utilized daily. His career afforded him many interesting activities--in Korea he was a guest/guard at a party for President Syngman Rhee. In Germany, he was a guard at a meeting of German Chancellor Adenauer and French President De Gaulle. His final military assignment was in Berlin, where he lived behind The Wall for three years. Upon retirement from the military, Ben returned to his background in education where he taught in the Learning Disabilities Center at Cape Central Junior High for fifteen years. He was a volunteer for many community activities and was a former board member when Habitat for Humanity was established in Cape Girardeau. Ben was a member of Centenary Methodist Church, and sang in the Chancel Choir as long as his health permitted. He was able to travel extensively to all the continents except Antarctica. His love of sports included bowling, supporting Central Tigers, and cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals. Other survivors include a son, Loren of Cape Girardeau; a daughter, Laura of Las Vegas, Nevada; sisters-in-law, Linda (Bill) Ross of Fenton and Dee Vitt of St. Louis. He was especially fond of his nieces and nephews. Visitation will be today from 4 to 8 p.m. at Ford & Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel. Funeral service will be Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at Ford & Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel with Rev.'s David Conley and Karen Northdurft officiating. Burial will take place Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at Mouser Cemetery in Marquand, MO. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Centenary United Methodist Church or the Leukemia Society.

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Benny Lee Shell

October 6, 2013