Forest Shely
Encyclopedia
Forest Franklin Shely was a physician from Campbellsville
, Kentucky, who served as a trustee at the Baptist
-affiliated Campbellsville University
for fifty-six years.
, a schoolteacher and a Baptist layman, and the former Blanche Brown in Lawrenceburg
in Anderson County
near Frankfort
, Kentucky. Wyatt Shely, as he was known, wrote a column for the Anderson News as well as several church histories. The younger Shely son, Robert Edward Shely, Forest Shely's brother, was born in 1930 and died in 1955, leaving behind a young widow and a son, Brent Shely, later Brent Owen of Williamsburg
, Virginia. Forest Shely graduated in 1941 from Western High School in Sinai, also in Anderson County, where his father was on the faculty.
Shely attended Campbellsville University, then known as Campbellsville Junior College, from 1941 to 1943, where he was named the "Best All-Around Student." He served in the United States Army during World War II. He then continued his studies at Georgetown College, a small Baptist institution in Georgetown
, Kentucky, Washington and Jefferson College in Washington
, Pennsylvania, and Yale University
in New Haven
, Connecticut, from which he graduated in 1946. From 1946 to 1947, Shely attended Tufts University School of Medicine
in Boston
, Massachusetts. In 1949, he graduated from the University of Louisville
Health Sciences Center in Louisville
, Kentucky. He interned from 1949 to 1950 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lexington
, Kentucky.
In 1950, Shely established his initial practice in Louisa
in Lawrence County
in far eastern Kentucky. In 1963, he returned to Campbellsville, where he had begun college twelve years earlier, to open his medical practice, which he maintained there until his retirement in 1997.His office was at 603 E 1st St.
Shely was the medical director of several area nursing homes and the first administrator of Taylor County Hospital. He served as chairman of both the Taylor County
and Lake Cumberland district boards of health. He was a member of the Taylor County Mental Health Board, Taylor County Public Library Board, and the Campbellsville-Taylor County Rescue Advisory Board.
. He was also a half-century member of Gideons International
.In 2003, Shely was named one of the first two recipients of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award
given for community service by Campbellsville University.
Shely served from 1954 until his death on the Campbellsville University board, including the longest period as chairman of any other member of the body. William Randolph Davenport, the president of the previously named Campbellsville College from 1969 to 1988, said that Dr. Shely's "knowledge of our operations, insights, wisdom, and guidance were invaluable – nothing short of God's gifts to me through those many years. Only God knows fully the value and eternal effects of his contributions to, and influence on, our university."
Davenport's successor as president, Kenneth W. Winters
, a member of the Kentucky State Senate, recalls Shely as "a true mentor to me. He became our family physician and a dear friend. Seldom do you find a person so dedicated to an institution as Dr. Shely was to Campbellsville University.Current CU president Michael V. Carter similarly noted that Shely provided "skilled medical care to thousands of people in this community and region, and his numerous contributions have been inestimable in value and impact."
, Kentucky, and a 1942 graduate of Campbellsville University. In 1988, Shely and his wife received Distinguished Service awards from CU. The Shely had a son, Bill Shely and wife, Cathy, of Morehead
, Kentucky, and four daughters, Jacque Blackwelder and husband, Denis of Old Hickory
, Tennessee, Deborah S. Edwards of Lexington, and, from Campbellsville, Karen S. McMahan and Carla S. Corbin and husband, Dale Corbin. There were also seven living grandchildren and one deceased.
Shely died in Campbellsville of cardiovascular disease
at the age of eighty-six. Services were held in his home church, Campbellsville Baptist Church, where he was a deacon and Sunday school teacher for many years. Burial was in the Parrott-Turner-Dabney Addition of Brookside Cemetery in Campbellsville.
Campbellsville, Kentucky
Campbellsville is a city in Taylor County, Kentucky, United States. The population within city limits was 10,498 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Taylor County, and the home of Campbellsville University...
, Kentucky, who served as a trustee at the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
-affiliated Campbellsville University
Campbellsville University
Campbellsville University, also known as CU, is a private university in Campbellsville, Kentucky, the seat of Taylor County. Founded as Russell Creek Academy, a Baptist institution, the university currently enrolls more than 3,000 students and is open to students of all denominations...
for fifty-six years.
Background
Shely was the older of two sons born to Forest Wyatt Shely (1901–1976), a graduate of Berea CollegeBerea College
Berea College is a liberal arts work college in Berea, Kentucky , founded in 1855. Current full-time enrollment is 1,514 students...
, a schoolteacher and a Baptist layman, and the former Blanche Brown in Lawrenceburg
Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Lawrenceburg is a city in Anderson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 10,505 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Anderson County...
in Anderson County
Anderson County, Kentucky
Anderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1827. In 2010 the population was 21,421. Its county seat is Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The county is named for Richard Clough Anderson, Jr., a Kentucky Legislator, U.S...
near Frankfort
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
, Kentucky. Wyatt Shely, as he was known, wrote a column for the Anderson News as well as several church histories. The younger Shely son, Robert Edward Shely, Forest Shely's brother, was born in 1930 and died in 1955, leaving behind a young widow and a son, Brent Shely, later Brent Owen of Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, Virginia. Forest Shely graduated in 1941 from Western High School in Sinai, also in Anderson County, where his father was on the faculty.
Shely attended Campbellsville University, then known as Campbellsville Junior College, from 1941 to 1943, where he was named the "Best All-Around Student." He served in the United States Army during World War II. He then continued his studies at Georgetown College, a small Baptist institution in Georgetown
Georgetown, Kentucky
Georgetown is a city in Scott County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 29,098 at the 2010 census. The original settlement of Lebanon, founded by Rev. Elijah Craig, was renamed in 1790 in honor of President George Washington. It is the home of Georgetown College, a private liberal arts...
, Kentucky, Washington and Jefferson College in Washington
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
, Pennsylvania, and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, Connecticut, from which he graduated in 1946. From 1946 to 1947, Shely attended Tufts University School of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
The Tufts University School of Medicine is one of the eight schools that constitute Tufts University. Located on the university's health sciences campus in the Chinatown district of Boston, Massachusetts, the medical school has clinical affiliations with thousands of doctors and researchers in the...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts. In 1949, he graduated from the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
Health Sciences Center in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Kentucky. He interned from 1949 to 1950 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, Kentucky.
Medical career
"Shely was a giant figure in Taylor County and a highly respected physician with wide influence in health care in the Lake Cumberland Area Development District".
In 1950, Shely established his initial practice in Louisa
Louisa, Kentucky
Louisa is a city in Lawrence County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,018 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County. The Levisa Fork River and Tug Fork River join at Louisa to form the Big Sandy River...
in Lawrence County
Lawrence County, Kentucky
Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 15,569. Its county seat is Louisa. The county is named for James Lawrence, and co-founded by Isaac Bolt, who served as a Lawrence County Commissioner and Justice of the Peace. It is the home of...
in far eastern Kentucky. In 1963, he returned to Campbellsville, where he had begun college twelve years earlier, to open his medical practice, which he maintained there until his retirement in 1997.His office was at 603 E 1st St.
Shely was the medical director of several area nursing homes and the first administrator of Taylor County Hospital. He served as chairman of both the Taylor County
Taylor County, Kentucky
Taylor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 22,927. Its county seat is Campbellsville. The county is named for President Zachary Taylor, who served from 1849 to 1850. Taylor is a moist county...
and Lake Cumberland district boards of health. He was a member of the Taylor County Mental Health Board, Taylor County Public Library Board, and the Campbellsville-Taylor County Rescue Advisory Board.
Civic leadership
Shely was chairman of the board of Citizens Bank and Trust Company in Campbellsville. He was a member and past president of Campbellsville Rotary InternationalRotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
. He was also a half-century member of Gideons International
Gideons International
Gideons International is an evangelical Christian organization dedicated to distributing copies of the Bible in over 94 languages and 194 countries of the world, most famously in hotel and motel rooms. The organization was founded in 1899 in Janesville, Wisconsin, as an early American parachurch...
.In 2003, Shely was named one of the first two recipients of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award
Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation
The Sullivan Foundation was formed by the New York legislature on March 30, 1930, with the mission of promoting:"The welfare of mankind...and to continue, carry out and further the philanthropies and philanthropic aims of the late Algernon Sydney Sullivan and Mary Mildred Hammond Sullivan, and more...
given for community service by Campbellsville University.
Shely served from 1954 until his death on the Campbellsville University board, including the longest period as chairman of any other member of the body. William Randolph Davenport, the president of the previously named Campbellsville College from 1969 to 1988, said that Dr. Shely's "knowledge of our operations, insights, wisdom, and guidance were invaluable – nothing short of God's gifts to me through those many years. Only God knows fully the value and eternal effects of his contributions to, and influence on, our university."
Davenport's successor as president, Kenneth W. Winters
Kenneth W. Winters
Kenneth W. Winters is a Republican member of the Kentucky State Senate from Murray in western Kentucky, who formerly served as president of Baptist-affiliated Campbellsville University....
, a member of the Kentucky State Senate, recalls Shely as "a true mentor to me. He became our family physician and a dear friend. Seldom do you find a person so dedicated to an institution as Dr. Shely was to Campbellsville University.Current CU president Michael V. Carter similarly noted that Shely provided "skilled medical care to thousands of people in this community and region, and his numerous contributions have been inestimable in value and impact."
Family and death
On April 6, 1947, Shely married the former Roberta "Bobbie" Hale (September 30, 1922 – February 23, 2006) of SpringfieldSpringfield, Kentucky
Springfield is a city in and county seat of Washington County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,634 at the 2000 census. It was established in 1793 and probably named for springs in the area.-Geography:...
, Kentucky, and a 1942 graduate of Campbellsville University. In 1988, Shely and his wife received Distinguished Service awards from CU. The Shely had a son, Bill Shely and wife, Cathy, of Morehead
Morehead, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 6,845 people, households, and families residing in the city. The population density was 726.2 people per square mile. There were 2,356 housing units at an average density of 253.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 93.2% White, 3.2% African...
, Kentucky, and four daughters, Jacque Blackwelder and husband, Denis of Old Hickory
Old Hickory, Tennessee
Old Hickory, Tennessee is a section of metropolitan Nashville, Tennessee, named in honor of President Andrew Jackson who was nicknamed "Old Hickory."...
, Tennessee, Deborah S. Edwards of Lexington, and, from Campbellsville, Karen S. McMahan and Carla S. Corbin and husband, Dale Corbin. There were also seven living grandchildren and one deceased.
Shely died in Campbellsville of cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease are the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system , it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis...
at the age of eighty-six. Services were held in his home church, Campbellsville Baptist Church, where he was a deacon and Sunday school teacher for many years. Burial was in the Parrott-Turner-Dabney Addition of Brookside Cemetery in Campbellsville.