Richard Neil Shellhammer was born on July 6, 1945 to Pad and Anna Gerberding Shellhammer.   He was the third of four boys – Dean, Harry Wayne, Rich and Jim.  The day Rich was born, Pad was cutting wheat with an old pull Baldwin Combine.  Lena (Anna's sister) ran out to the field waving a dish towel to get Pad's attention to get Annie to the Galloway Hospital in Anthony, Ks where Rich was born.   A big 5 pounds.  Rich attended all 12 grades of school at Bluff City.  Then went on to Ark City Junior College.

One day while Pad and Dean were working in the field, Rich and Jim decided to take a Model A Ford engine apart.  Little did they know that motor was to be rebuilt and put into the combine for next harvest.  They got a lesson from Pad on how to rebuild it and from that experience Rich took a real liking to mechanic work and was one of the best ones around.  For a short time, he did mechanic work on tractors at Argonia. Rich could fix anything but a speeding ticket.  From then on, he and Jimmy did mechanic work at their own shop for themselves and others.  They built most all of their sheds and shop by themselves, using old lumber from buildings people wanted tore down.  They pulled nails from it and made some really nice buildings with little cost.

At an early age Pad would put Rich on a tractor and put a rope around him and the hand clutch and tell him not to jump off and chase rabbits.  It didn't do much good because pretty often there would be baby rabbits in the tool box.  Rich loved the outdoors.  His best times were just staying at home and working.  He loved to farm.  The whole family worked together – be it taking care of hogs, gathering chicken eggs and washing them, milking cows and working in the field or whatever else and yes the boys always said that they did the dishes because their sister wouldn't because they didn't have one.   It is fitting he was born at harvest because farming was his life.

You'd have to practically twist Rich's arm to get him to take a vacation.   He went on very few trips with Jimmy and Vickie and they visited lots of family and saw lots of pretty places.  You could bet that if they stayed at family or friends he would always leave them a gift or money for letting him stay.   He would always say he didn't want to impose.  He would tell people about this trip and how he enjoyed it, but to Vickie and Jimmy he would say it was alright.

Pad made the kids a little car and they still have it.  That was quite a "put put". Probably every cousin that ever rode in it remembers how the driver would turn a sharp corner to see how many fell out and they would all laugh like crazy.

Rich had a lot of orneriness in him.  He loved to play jokes on people.  He was such a caring and honest person.  He was always willing to help out and always willing to do his part.

Rich was always neat. Many of you know if you visited him in the shop he would have on the most greasy hooded sweatshirt or jacket.  He usually wore overshoes over his lace up boots, but underneath all of that he was clean. You'd go into his house and those dirty clothes would be off at the door and in the house it was clean and organized.  Anytime you ate a meal there, before you left the house he had the dishes done and yes, the sink dried out, and last but not least the rag or a dish towel hung up to dry, but not outside on a clothes line as it would have sure been nothing but threads.  He saved all the new stuff.

When he first went into Anthony Community Care Center he loved to tease people. When he would walk down the hall, he would shake the handrail to see if it was put up right.  On Sundays, he liked to spend time playing dominos with the gentleman next door.  For his short time there, he enjoyed the staff who took care of him and loved to tease them.  Even after his health got bad and he spent almost five years of not able to visit, he was always pleasant.  Rich received wonderful care at ACCC.

Rich passed away on January 21, 2022.  Preceding him in death were his parents and brothers – Harry Wayne and Dean.  Surviving him is his brother Jim and wife Vickie; sister-in-law, Lois Shellhammer; Hannah Laspisa, Darrin and Robin Struble; Daryl and Heather Struble; Garret and Peyton Struble, children Derrick and Demi; Greg Struble, Justin and Madison Struble, daughter Priscilla; Lennon Laspisa; Gillian Struble and a host of family and friends.

Graveside service will be held 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at St. Paul Evangelical Cemetery, northeast of Bluff City, Kansas.

Visitation and Viewing will be held Monday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Memorials in memory of Richard may be made to either St. Paul Evangelical Church or to Anthony Community Care Center, in care of Prairie Rose Funeral Home, 602 E. Main St., Anthony, KS 67003.