Obituary

Shelby Carl died at 93 at home on February 5th peacefully with family at his side. Born and raised in Okemah, Oklahoma, one of 10 siblings he was 3rd from the youngest. In 1941 he graduated the 8th grade and took the train to live with his sister in Yuma, AZ where he graduated from Yuma High School before joining the Navy in 1945. Navy Officers that learned to appreciate and respect him convinced him to go to college so in 1948 he went home and went to the University of Arizona becoming the first student to ever graduate from the Ag College with a master’s degree in Entomology. Within a few years he joined Wilbur Ellis Company in the emerging fertilizer and chemical industry where he spent the next 22 years, rising to the position of Regional Manager and Vice President. During this time, he was appointed by Arizona Governor Raul Castro to be a Special Advisor for Agriculture to the Governor and he also received an appointment in 1980 to join the Reagan Administration in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which he turned down. He couldn’t bring himself to leave Arizona and live in Washington DC. For 40 years he worked to help farmers in the desert southwest be the best. And he became a leader in the industry where he served at the U of A, founded the Arizona Agribusiness Council and served tirelessly in his church. He cared about his family, friends, his customers and especially those who worked with him, and for him.

A long-time member of the Avondale Baptist Church he taught Sunday School and was active at the Mission of Mercy long after retiring. He was an active outdoorsman spending as much time as possible at the family cabin in Mormon Lake and hunting as much as getting drawn would allow. Even getting his Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep at the age of 90 and a Bull Elk at 91.

He is preceded in death by his mom and dad, HC and Vesta Mae Carl, his 9 brothers and sister, his first wife Beth and daughter Angela Traubel. He is survived by his wife Margaret, son Steve, Son in Law Larry Traubel, Grandkids Megan Basham, Travis Carl, Shelby Brannon, Tara Betts, Lindsay Cooper, Brian Traubel and Whitney Kroll as well as 10 great grandchildren with more on the way.

Socially distanced services will be held at the Avondale Baptist Church at 1001 N. Central Ave. Avondale, AZ 85323 on Saturday, February 20th at 10 am. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Mission of Mercy care of Avondale Baptist Church.

“He died at a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.” “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints”.