Jerrold Fremont "Jerry" Shelley

Jerrold "Jerry" Fremont Shelley, 62, of Yuma and Scottsdale, Arizona, departed this life and continued into the next, on Thursday, June 2, 2011 in Yuma, Arizona.
Jerry was born on March 23, 1949, in Chuquicamata, Chile, where his father worked as an accountant with a United States mining company. At the age of 9 he moved with his family to Kearny, Arizona, where his father continued to work in the mining industry and served as Town Mayor in the early 1960's.
Jerry graduated from Ray High School in Kearny in 1967, where he was a high school tennis State champion. He later received his bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and in 1975 earned his law degree at the University of Arizona College of Law.
Following law school Jerry worked as a public defender in Apache County, Arizona, and in 1977 moved to Yuma where he worked as a prosecutor for the Yuma County Attorney's Office. Shortly thereafter he began a thriving private practice, which he continued for the next thirty-three years, focusing on the areas of family law, criminal law, bankruptcy, personal injury, and general civil litigation. Jerry also served as a court commissioner for the Yuma County Superior Court.
Jerry was a faithful and active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and served in many church leadership callings including 1st Counselor in the Second Ward Bishopric, Stake High Counselor, High Priest Group Leader, Young Men's President, Seminary Teacher, and Gospel Doctrine Teacher. Most recently Jerry served alongside his wife, Nancy, as a teacher for primary children in the Chaparral Ward in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he and Nancy spent their weekends for the past several years.
Jerry was a devoted and loving husband who counted his wife of 36 years as his best friend and eternal companion. Likewise, he was a loyal and faithful son and brother, who took into his home each of his parents, Jay and Jan Shelley, and his wife's parents, in the final years of their lives. For the past 6 years he lived with, loved, and took care of his special needs brother, John.
He was also a devoted and fun-loving father and grandfather who was always generous with his time, advice, and wonderful sense of humor. His hobbies and interests were wide-ranging, and included spending time with his children and grandchildren, studying the scriptures and gospel topics, vacationing in San Diego, tinkering with and maintaining his cars (and his children's cars), and carrying out a seemingly endless series of home improvement and repair projects which kept him busy during his weekends in Scottsdale.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Nancy; his son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Jennifer Shelley; his daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Ryan Freeman; his daughter and son-in-law, Jamie and John Poulsen, and his youngest son, Jason. He is also survived by his brothers, Jay F. Shelley (Karen) and John F. Shelley, and his sister Joan Holmes (John). He also left behind 11 beloved grandchildren: Bridget, Price, and Carter (Shelley); Ryland, Bailey, Taylor, Hayden and Noah (Freeman); and Trey, Grady, and Miles (Poulsen).
Services will be held in Yuma, Arizona on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 10:00 a.m at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 4300 W. 16th Street, Yuma, Arizona. Services will also be held in Scottsdale, Arizona at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 9, 2011, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 6840 E. Gold Dust, Scottsdale, Arizona 85253. Funeral arrangements will be handled by Bunker's Garden Chapel, 33 N. Centennial Way, Mesa AZ. 85201.
Please sign the guestbook at www.yumasun.com/obituaries