of Detroit, MI
August 17, 1918 - April 14, 2019
Ann Shell was born in Batesville, Arkansas, August 17, 1918, the daughter of Thomas Franklin and Annie Louise Shell. She passed away peacefully Sunday, April 14, 2019, at her beloved home in Detroit.
Ann attended Cushman High School, where she was a gifted student and popular classmate. After time at Arkansas College, she started her career as a schoolteacher. After moving to Detroit in the early 1940's, she gave up teaching and started a new career working for General Motors, where she remained until she retired in the early 1970s. Ann's true passion was found in her work with the United Methodist Church. She was a devoted member of Westlawn, St. Timothy and later Nardin Park United Methodist Churches through the years, and served on many committees and the United Methodist Women. She was also a longtime active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and enjoyed genealogy as a hobby.
She was also a longtime volunteer at the Rosedale Park Players, where she helped with makeup for the many productions. She was a gregarious, sociable lady, who always loved planning parties and get-together's, and holidays and vacations to her home state of Arkansas with her family. She was a born leader, and a caring daughter, sister, and aunt who always put her family first in her life. She will be greatly missed, and always remembered.
Ann was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Lyman M. and Don Franklin; and sisters, Tommie Jane (Howard) Tripp, Mary Lou, and the recent passing of her sister Margaret.
She is survived by sister-in-law Karen Shell; niece, Nancy (Joseph) Richards; two nephews, Don Franklin (Anne) Shell and Howard Franklin (Susan) Tripp; great niece Kristin Trame; and great nephew Danny Tripp; nephew-in-law Richard Trame, several step nieces and step nephews; as well as cousins Katherine (Earl) Tripp, Nina (Hugh) Insell, and a host of many friends.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, 2019, at her church, Nardin Park United Methodist Church in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Visitation is scheduled for 3-8 p.m. Friday, April 19 at McCabe Funeral Home, 31950 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills.
Graveside services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 26, 2019 at Oaklawn Cemetery in Batesville, Arkansas with Paul Seay officiating and under the direction of Roller-Crouch Funeral Home of Batesville.
Ann is loved and greatly missed by her family and many friends.