John Shellenberger III, man of laws, patron of the arts

John Owen James Shellenberger III, retired chief deputy Pennsylvania attorney general and an active patron of the arts, died Dec. 1. He was 64 and lived in Center City.

John was born in Washington, D.C., to John O.J. Shellenberger Jr. and Nancy Bertolet Shellenberger. He received a bachelor of arts in history from Lafayette College in 1966, and his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1969. He later returned to Harvard to study at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

He worked for several years at the Center City law firm of Stradley, Ronan, Stevens and Young. He later served as chief deputy state attorney general in charge of the Philadelphia regional office until his retirement last April.

John was actively involved with the Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany in Center City. "He considered the church and its congregants his greater family," said his brother, James A. Shellenberger, law professor at Temple University's Beasley School of Law.

A talented artist in his own right, John supported the arts as a member of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

He also is survived by two sisters, Nancy Shellenberger and Ann Shellenberger Bell.

Services: Memorial service 1 p.m. Saturday at the Church of St. Luke and the Epiphany, 330 S. 13th St. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Episcopal Community Services of the Diocese of Pennsylvania or the United States Fund for UNICEF. *