ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 1, 1996 TAG: 9611010064
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
MEMO: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.
Lt. Gen. George R.E. Shell, the ninth superintendent of Virginia Military Institute, died at 88 Wednesday in a Charlottesville hospital.
``General Shell united the qualities of character and intellect not commonly found in the same person. His selfless devotion to VMI was absolute,'' said VMI Superintendent Josiah Bunting.
Shell, superintendent from 1960-71, is credited with bolstering academics, increasing enrollment and expanding the campus.
A native of Phoebus, Shell graduated from VMI in 1931 after earning letters in football and wrestling.
He spent 29 years in the Marine Corps and was commander of the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines, during the World War II invasions of Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Saipan in the South Pacific. He was wounded during the Saipan landing and spent two years in Navy hospitals.
Shell worked with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also was an instructor at the Naval War College and chief of staff for Marine Corps schools. He and his wife lived in Lexington after his retirement until they moved to Charlottesville in 1993.
Shell was the 1976-77 national chairman for the Historic Lexington Foundation's successful fund-raising campaign for the restoration of the Stonewall Jackson House.
He also was the first chairman of the local Community Services Board and served on the boards of the George C. Marshall Foundation and Stonewall Jackson Hospital.
He is survived by his wife, Alice Reid Cushing Shell; two daughters, one son, a sister who lives in Vinton, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Private graveside services will be today at the Stonewall Jackson Cemetery in Lexington.
- Staff and wire reports
LENGTH: Short : 43 linesby CNB