Shelley Rule

Commander Shelley E. Rule, USN (Ret.), 98, died on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014 at Clare Bridge of Cary in Cary, N.C. Shelley was born May 25, 1915 to Elmer D. and Fay Shelley Rule of Chattanooga, Tenn. His appointment to Annapolis came one year after graduation from high school. His ease with mathematical calculations earned him the nickname "Slide". He enjoyed three years at the Naval Academy whereupon he transferred to the engineering program at Georgia Tech. He received his masters form MIT in thermodynamics engineering. After graduation he remained in the Naval Reserves until called to active duty in 1941. His first active duty assignment was aboard the USS GOFF where he served until the end of the war, escorting convoys in the Atlantic. During 33 years on active duty he was accompanied by his family to China in 1946 and to Vietnam in 1959. His second tour to Vietnam was during wartime (1966-68). He had especially fond memories of his assignments to both the Philadelphia and Portsmouth, NH Naval Shipyards. His last tour of duty was at Charleston, SC Naval Shipyard. After retirement Shelley worked for Pan American Health Organization to restore and improve hospital facilities in Venezuela and around the Caribbean. His love of sailing continued for many years and led him to make several trips between his home in South Carolina and the Caribbean Islands as well as off the coast of California. He is survived by his four daughters, Elizabeth Alexander, of Pittiston, ME, Kathleen Culp, of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., Irene (Bob) Honeck, of Thomson, Ga., and Margaretha "Minnie" (Gilbert) Miller, of Bamberg, S.C.; eleven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. A memorial reception will be held in Shelley's honor on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014 from 3-5 p.m. at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard Road, Cary, NC. After donating his body to science, he will join his wife of 63 years, Margaret Phillips Rule, who preceded him in death in 2008 and whose ashes are interred at their beloved country home in Sheldon, South Carolina. Donations in his memory may be made to the Beaufort County Open Land Trust, 1001 Bay Street, P.O. Box 75, Beaufort, South Carolina 29901. Condolences may be sent through: www.brownwynnecary.com