Mary Jane Shelly, a daughter of Irish immigrants and mother of ten children who became the first in her family to graduate from college and later worked as a longtime reporter and editor for The Chestnut Hill Local, died Feb. 3 at Rockhill Mennonite Community in Sellersville. She was 94.
During her decades as a journalist at the Local, Shelly not only won statewide awards for her work, but also earned the deep respect and gratitude of the community she loved and served for more than 30 years.
When she received an award in 1997 from the Chestnut Hill Community Association, Shelly was recognized for her volunteer work as “chairman of too many committees to remember” as well as her dogged abilities as a reporter, always in search of the story. The award said, “Mary Jane consistently brings to our community an objective and unfailing sense of reason and understanding … as well as ten children.” One of Shelly’s children and two of her grandchildren went on to become journalists.
Shelly and fellow editor Marie Jones led a “Don't Mess With Our Paper” campaign as some community leaders sought to either exert control over the paper, sell it outright or sever it from the Chestnut Hill Community Association. The battle landed on the front page of The Philadelphia Inquirer Sunday Magazine. Ultimately, The Local survived intact.
Shelly and Jones also sparred with former Philadelphia Mayor and Chestnut Hill resident Frank Rizzo, along with many other elected officials over many years. The duo challenged their readers with coverage and editorials on local and international issues, publishing stories about subjects including racial justice and tolerance, and famine in Africa. The paper once published a front-page photo of a malnourished child on its Christmas week edition. Under Jones and Shelly’s leadership, the Local was honored with several awards by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
Born Mary Jane Mogey and known for much of her life as “Molly,” Shelly was the daughter of Mary (Flannery) Mogey, a maid who worked for wealthy families in Philadelphia, and Alexander Mogey, a Philadelphia bus driver and a tenor drum player for a regional Irish pipe band. Shelly, who was born on Christmas Day, graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in 1948 and, having won a scholarship, matriculated to Chestnut Hill College. She earned a bachelor’s degree with a major in English and a minor in chemistry. After graduating with honors, she worked at Saunders Publishing in Philadelphia where she edited medical textbooks.
In 1952, she got engaged to Thomas Shelly Sr. while he was on active duty with the United States Coast Guard. The couple married at Holy Cross Parish in Mt. Airy in 1953. They lived in Olney and ultimately settled in Chestnut Hill. Shelly went on to work for The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin covering local municipal meetings. Typically, she would leave after dinner to attend a meeting, return home and dictate an article over the phone to the desk. She joined the Chestnut Hill Local staff in 1971.
In 1980, Thomas Shelly Sr. died at 51. Shelly, then 49, confronted with the challenge of having seven dependents living at home and a full-time job never faltered. She buried her husband on a Friday, endured a difficult Mother’s Day that Sunday and was back at her desk Monday.
Features editor Len Lear remembers Shelly as smart, generous and “a joy to be around.” She had an encyclopedic knowledge of almost all people, places and institutions in Chestnut Hill, Lear said.
After 26 years at The Local, Shelly retired and moved to her beloved Long Beach Island, where she lived until Hurricane Sandy destroyed her home. She was an active parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Ship Bottom and became a Secular Franciscan, whose members are “called to live the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the world” and practice the Prayer of St. Francis, which calls on people to love rather than be loved, to understand rather than be understood, and to forgive rather than be forgiven. After leaving Long Beach Island, Mrs. Shelly lived at the Community at Rockhill in Sellersville.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her younger brother Alexander Mogey, and her granddaughter Maura Devlin. She is survived by Thomas Jr. (Rita), Alix Corboy (John), Susan Mohr (James), John (Susan); Carol (Robert Ebert), Mary Jane “Molly” Devlin (Conor), Peter (Faith Curran), David, Stephen (Jennifer), and Daniel (Jennifer.) She is also survived by 22 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Visitation will be 9 to 11 a.m., Saturday, March 8, Our Mother of Consolation Church, 9 East Chestnut Hill Ave., Chestnut Hill. Services follow at 11 a.m. at the church. Burial is private.
Shelly’s children would like to express their thanks to the wonderful staff at Rockhill for their dedication and loving care. They ask that any donations in Mary Jane’s name be made to the Benevolent Fund at the Community at Rockhill in Sellersville. Visit graceinspiredliving.org or mail a check designated for the Rockhill’s Benevolent Fund to Alyssa Guers, Director of Development, 12 Lutheran Home Drive, Telford, PA 18969.
