Austin College mourns the loss of Shellene Kelley, associate professor of computer science, who died Monday, March 2, following a courageous battle with cancer.Shellene joined the Austin College faculty in 2001 after earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Wichita State University in Kansas. She previously had served as vice president of technology for Corporate Lodging Consultants and worked for several years with Cargill, Inc., and SeaArk Marine, Inc.
Shellene and her husband, Don, lived in Pottsboro, Texas.
Please share your memories and condolences!
My Dear Friend Shellene,
ReplyDeleteI will miss your wonderful smile, your great advice to always strive for more. But, most of all, the greatest gift of all our friendship. Don, our prayers are with you. Sincerely,Tammi & Doyle Roy
Dear Shellene,
ReplyDeleteOur lives are much poorer for your passing. Your strength, committment and most of all caring will be sorely missed. I am so glad to have known you. You enriched my life.
Susan Rawlins
I only had the pleasure of taking Shellene for one semester my senior year. She was always in the best mood during class and you could tell she had a great passion for what she did. During a one-on-one consultation for our final project (an online resume of sorts that we were coding), she was genuinely and enthusiastically interested in my theatre resume and what I planned on doing in the future. I remember her caring attitude and am sure she made similar personal connections with all of her students. I'm glad to have known Shellene and know she will be greatly missed.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Phifer
I did not have the opportunity of working side by side with Shellene or of being one of her students. I knew her through her visits in the bookstore when we talked about adoptions or when she just came in to see what we had new. Shellene was always friendly and always smilling. She was the most positives person and such a delight to talk with. It's easy to see why she was so admired by her collegues and students. I am glad to have known her,if only briefly, and I know she will be missed by all.
ReplyDeleteFor all of us who were blessed with Shellene's kindness and friendship, we are thankful. She projected personal courage during her battle with cancer. By coincidence, my wife and I were in our doctor's waiting room when Shellene came in. She sat next to us and we engaged her in a wonderful conversation. Shortly after she arrived, so did two other women who were teachers. Shellene reached out to the other women and I listed to her. They were breast cancer survivors, too. This particular day the doctor was taking longer to see patients. I wasn't upset for the extra wait. Listening to Shellene speak to the other teachers was very uplifting. She was so encouraging about what she said to them. Her voice was assuring and her words were comforting to the others. I was blessed that day by Shellene and will forever remember how upbeat she was, full of courage and strength.
ReplyDeleteShellene was a wonderful person and inspirational teacher. My son has had the good fortune to have her not only as a teacher, but also as a kind and caring friend for the last 3 years. Even during her illness, she made time for her students. Her positive attitude and generous spirit were something my son has spoken of during phone calls home. Positive role models are not easy to come by and this one was taken much too soon. So, thank you Shellene for your warmth and kindness. You will be missed.
ReplyDeleteJudi, Ed and Joseph Helsing
Shellene, thank you for sharing your optimism with me and my students in the Academic Skills Center. You made a huge difference simply by smiling at everyone you passed and offering words of encouragement to students who were struggling in classes. I can still see you walking through the mail center and stopping every few feet to talk with people. This is where I remember catching up with you often. We are blessed for having known you.
ReplyDeleteLaura Marquez
Shellene was a valued member of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Online Support Group
ReplyDeleteWe miss her deeply
May her memory be a blessing for all
Alexandra Andrews
Listowner
Metastatic Breast Cancer Online Support Group acor.org
Shellene was a voice online to me but so powerful a voice! Her memory will be a blessing to all who knew her.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was never a student of Shellene's, she saw me struggling one day in Moody with my stats and offered her help; her passion for seeing a student learn clearly shown through at that point and helped me get through what I perceived to be a difficult semester. Thanks, Shellen, for your encouragement. --AC Grad, Class of 2007
ReplyDeleteI remember your positive attitude and a drive to survive. I will also not forget your smiles. Thanks for the blessings.
ReplyDeleteIvette Vargas-O'Bryan
What a bit of sad news. She had done amazing well in life--and not surprisingly.
ReplyDeleteI went to middle school and high school with Shellene. She excelled as a clarinetist, but at one point desired to switch to french horn. The director gave her an old, horribly beat up school horn. The bell was dented and creased and it looked like a train wreck. She took it home and with a spoon and some petroleum jelly she straightened every crease and dent in the bell and made it into a playable instrument. She received some recognition for this at a public concert. Amazing all the way!
Terry Davis
Dinuba High School (California)
Shellene Kelley was my classmate at Wichita State University in Theoretical Foundations of Computer Science, and Advanced Java. She was a very good hearted person and a very good student too.
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