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UPCOMING SERVICE
John Black Obituary
Schelly was preceded in death by his brother, Paul Irving Black, and his sister, Mildred Black Carruthers. He is survived by his sister, Cecelia Black Howell of Cumming, GA, and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends who will miss him dearly.
He was a proud graduate of Christian Brothers High School and later Christian Brothers College in 1957 where he earned a degree in electrical engineering. After graduation, he moved to Huntsville, Alabama to work for General Electric, where he made his mark in the field of space exploration contributing to some of the most significant milestones in U.S. space history, including the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs. His legacy in aerospace engineering continued as he collaborated with several local contractors including M&S Computing and Intergraph Corporation.
A memorial service will be held in Schelly's honor at Calvary Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 24, 2025, at 11:00 AM.
Schelly's dedication to his work, his family, and his community will not be forgotten. His contributions to science and technology, along with his kindness and humility, have left a lasting impact on all who knew him.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a charity of your choice in his memory.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memorial Events
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Memories and Condolences
for John Black
2 Entries
Kim Robbins
October 20, 2025
Schelly was such a great mentor and friend to me as I was a young engineer working at M&S/Intergraph. Prayers of comfort to his family.
Gary Wylie
October 18, 2025
I worked with Shelly many years at M&S and Intergraph, and I greatly enjoyed working around him. I've wondered many time where Shelly moved to after retiring. I'm glad that he was able to live for many years after.
Gary Wylie
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