Terry Shell

Terry Lee Shell (April 2, 1922 – June 25, 1978) was a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas and the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.

Terry Shell
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
In office September 16, 1975 – June 25, 1978
Appointed by	Gerald Ford
Preceded by	J. Smith Henley
Succeeded by	Richard S. Arnold
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from the Craighead County district
In office January 12, 1953 – January 10, 1955[1]
Preceded by	Ivie C. Spencer[2]
Succeeded by	Charlie G. Johnston[3]
Personal details
Born	Terry Lee Shell April 2, 1922 Franklin, Arkansas
Died	June 25, 1978 (aged 56) Little Rock, Arkansas
Political party	Democrat[4]
Spouse(s)	Sara McCutcheon ​ ​ (m. 1945⁠–⁠1978)​ [5]
Children	Suzanne Shell Jeanne Carol Shell [6]
Residence	1315 S. Main Jonesboro, AR[7]
Education	Arkansas State University (B.S.E.) University of Arkansas School of Law (LL.B., J.D.)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1943–November 1945
Unit	99th Infantry
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Bulge
[8]

Education and career

Shell was born in Franklin, Arkansas to Elmer G. and Roxie E. (née Fudge) Shell. Shell had a brother John Russell, and a sister. The family moved to Jonesboro when Shell was young. He attended public schools and graduated from Jonesboro High School in Jonesboro in 1939. Shell served in the United States Army during World War II, from 1943 to November 1945. He was captured and held as a Prisoner of War by the Germans at the Battle of the Bulge.[9]

He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Arkansas State University in 1946, and thereafter briefly attended the University of Texas Law School. Smith earned a Bachelor of Laws and Juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1949. He was in private practice in Arkansas from 1949 to 1960. He was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1953 to 1954, serving in the 59th Arkansas General Assembly.[10] He was prosecuting attorney of the 2nd Judicial Circuit of Arkansas from 1955 to 1960. He was a chancery judge of the 12th Chancery Circuit Court of Arkansas from 1961 to 1975.[11]

Federal judicial service

Shell was nominated by President Gerald Ford on July 25, 1975, to a joint seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas and the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas vacated by J. Smith Henley. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 15, 1975, and received his commission on September 16, 1975, serving until his death.[11]

Death

Shell died on June 25, 1978, after suffering a heart attack at his residence in Little Rock, Arkansas, leading to cardiac arrest after he arrived at the hospital.[12]

References

1. "SOS" (1998), pp. 304-306.
2. "SOS" (1998), pp. 302-303.
3. "SOS" (1998), p. 306.
4. "Lives" (1965), pp. 506.
5. "Lives" (1965), p. 506.
6. "Lives" (1965), p. 506.
7. "Lives" (1965), p. 506.
8. "Judge Shell". The Arkansas Lawyer. Little Rock: Arkansas Bar Association. 10 (1): 10. January 1976. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
9. "Lives" (1965), pp. 506-507.
10. "SOS" (1998), pp. 304-306.
11. Terry Lee Shell at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
12. "Fayetteville Northwest Arkansas Times Archives, Jun 26, 1978". 26 June 1978.

• Ferguson, John L. (1965). Arkansas Lives. Hopkinsville, Kentucky: Historical Record Association, Inc. pp. 506–507. LCCN 65-25764.
• Priest, Sharon (1998). Runnells, Jonathan (ed.). Historical Report of the Arkansas Secretary of State. Office of the Arkansas Secretary of State. OCLC 40157815.

Sources

• Terry Lee Shell at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.