Remembering Jim & Jo Shelver We send prayers for peace and comfort to all those who knew and loved Jim Shelver, who passed away in August 2020, and Jo Shelver, who passed away in July 2021. Both Jim and Jo were foundational members of our organization and community for over four decades, getting involved in the early Chinook days and staying engaged throughout our evolution. Whether helping build our physical structures, helping hold our organizational vision, or nourishing our bodies and hearts with everything from hot soup to enduring friendship, Jim and Jo were essential to the life of this organization. We hold their memories with ongoing gratitude. A 2004 article in the South Whidbey Record summarized Jim’s life of service well. “In Jim Shelver’s mind, commitments are the fiber that binds members in a family, and individuals into a community. He is a man who makes commitments and keeps them,” the article states. Jo’s obituary, published in the Whidbey News-Times, shared insight into her joyful state in her last days. “On her last night at home, she was prepared a dinner for a queen, she toasted Jim, the air was festive. Joined by [granddaughter] Monika and several very close friends, she was celebrated. That evening she spoke these final words to her daughter Karen; ‘I am safe, I am happy, and I am loved.’ Her very last words were of a life filled with love and of a life well lived.” As part of their legacy of service to this organization, Jim and Jo left a generous bequest to the Whidbey Institute. To honor their spirit of welcome and hospitality, we plan to invest the funds in roads and pathways improvements so that everyone who comes here, regardless of their age, ability, or physical capacities, will have an easier time accessing our spaces. We hold the Shelver family in our hearts. The imprints left by Jim and Jo on our community and its members will never fade, and we are so grateful for the love, friendship, and service that are their enduring legacy.
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