Elaine Shell

1926 - 2015

Doris Elaine Shell

Billings —Doris "Elaine" Tracy Shell, 88, passed away on February 11, 2015 in Billings, Montana, with family near her. Elaine was born on December 11, 1926 to Fred Tracy and Mary McKeehan Tracy, in Long Beach, California. The little family soon moved from California to Colorado, due to her father contracting tuberculosis. Elaine's father died in 1929 in Denver, at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital. Elaine and her mother moved to her grandparents' farm near Afton, Iowa, which Elaine claimed as her hometown. She always said it was a great place to be FROM, as she had many allergies as a child and the farm fields of Iowa made them worse. After graduating in 1945 from Fort Dodge High School, she obtained schooling as an airline radio operator at Midland Radio School in Kansas City. At 18 years of age, she and her mother moved to Great Falls, Montana where Elaine was offered a job with Western Airlines. In 1947 Elaine married Harry A. "Jack" Shell who also worked for an airline. Elaine worked as a Flight Radio Operator until their first daughter was born, and then became a stay at home mom raising five daughters. The Shells built their own home south of Great Falls, in Donovan Park.

Jack and Elaine divorced in 1969, and she never remarried. She was employed by Modern Equipment Company, and as an engineer for the Great Falls School System for many years, retiring in the mid 1990s. Her hobbies were genealogy, collecting antiques, spending time at the family cabin in Wolf Creek, and working on construction projects around the home. She was happiest with a hammer in her hand. She and her daughters built and operated Big Spur Stables where they boarded, trained and showed horses for many years. After her retirement from Great Falls Public Schools, Elaine concentrated on her ministry work as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. For the past 45 years she enjoyed sharing her faith and reading the Bible daily. Elaine moved to Billings in 2013 to be near two of her daughters.

She was preceded in death by her father, Fred Tracy, in 1929, her mother, Mary McKeehan King in 1963, her stepbrother William R. King in 1976, her former husband Harry A. (Jack) Shell in 1981, and her stepfather Raymond H. King in 1982.

Elaine is survived by her five daughters, Carolyn Willis (Steve) of Weatherford, TX, Nita Marlene Shell of Billings, MT, Ronda Hopsecker (Mike) of New Bloomfield, MO, Debbie Thompson (Larry) of Great Falls, MT, and Rebecca Ray (Jim) of Billings, MT, 8 grandchildren: Crystal Gurney and Brenda Gurney, Missoula, MT, Lathan Hopsecker (Misty) of Douglas, WY, Ryan Hopsecker (Amanda) of Sheridan, WY, Colten Hopsecker (Carla) of Mount Vernon, MO, Michael Shell (Ashley) Great Falls, MT , Alexandra Ray and Ethan Ray, Billings, MT, and 2 great grandchildren, Gavin and Keila Hopsecker, Sheridan, WY. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will take place at a later date, when her ashes will be buried beside her mother in Highland Cemetery in Great Falls.

We love you Mother, and you will always be with us in our memories. We will see you again one day.

To receive notification of time and place of the memorial service, please email ElaineShellMemories@gmail.com