Elisabeth (Els) Shelly

Elisabeth (Els) Shelly, 91, of Goshen Indiana, passed away on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Noblesville, Indiana.

She was born in Amsterdam on October 17, 1934 to Robert and Helen van Lier, the second of four children.

In 1953, after working a year in Marseille France as an au pair, Els crossed the Atlantic to attend Bluffton College (Ohio), where she met her future husband, Alton Shelly. They married in 1958 at West Swamp Mennonite Church in Quakertown, Pennsylvania.

After finishing social work degrees, they moved first to Columbus Ohio (where their three sons were born) and then in 1969 to Wayne, Michigan.

Els eventually earned a master's degree in Library Science at the University of Michigan and started many years of work as a librarian.

In addition to library-work and boy-raising, Els enjoyed maintaining an extensive flower garden, hiking and camping, birding, and reading.

She regularly visited family in the Netherlands and hosted Dutch relatives in the States.

After retirement, Al and Els transplanted to Goshen, their new home for most of the final 20 years, became active members of Assembly Mennonite Church as well as avid globetrotters, including memorable trips to China, India, Australia, the Galapagos and Kenya.

In the past decade, Els provided significant care for her husband of 64 years in the final years of his life, at both Greencroft and Waterford Crossing retirement communities.

Els is survived by her children, Karl (Michelle) Shelly, Martin (Melissa) Shelly, and Glen (Barbara) Shelly; brothers, Karel (Carien) van Lier and Henk (Renske) van Lier; and her grandchildren, Jacob (Monica) Shelly, Lucas (Lauryn) Shelly, Ben (Maddie) Gerig Shelly, Amanda (Jesse) Beal, Steven (Sonia Gonzalez) Swain, Bethany (Carl) Shelly Borsotti, Noah (Zoe) Shelly, and Rachel (Sam) Colleran Shelly; along with twelve great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Alton Shelly; sister, Ans Kalshoven; and grandson, Nathan Shelly.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, August 22, 11 am, at Assembly Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana.

Memorial contributions may be made to Camp Friedenswald, Cassopolis, Michigan.