Alphonso Leon Shackelford

• San Antonio Express
• September 17, 2004

Alphonso Leon Shackelford passed away quietly on September 11, 2004, after a long illness. He was born in Grapevine, Texas on June 4, 1920 to Dr. A. L. Shackelford and Ida May Merritt Shackelford.

Al grew up in Dallas, where he graduated from Sunset High School in 1938. During high school and college, he worked for Lamar and Smith Funeral Home as an ambulance driver before attending North Texas State Teachers College in Denton.

In 1942, he proudly volunteered to serve his country in the Army Air Corps during WWII. He served in the Medical Corps and achieved the rank of sergeant.

On June 30, 1945, he and Ellis Frances Chapman were married in San Antonio at St. Mark's Episcopal Church. Al received his B.S. Degree and later his Doctorate in Pharmacy from the College of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas.

In 1958, the family moved to San Antonio, where Al was a pharmacist for the Nix Hospital and Sommers Drug Store, which he also managed until retirement. Al founded Alchem Associates, a specialty products business and was President of the San Antonio Chapter of the American Chemical Society, 1969-70.

He was a gifted writer with interests ranging from aviation to medicine. Al was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Louise Shackelford Crabb Merritt, Lois Shackelford and Ella May Shackelford Breckenridge.

He is survived by Frances, his wife of 59 years, their children, Alan, his wife, Ursula and their daughter Vanessa of Colorado, Anne and her husband, Kenton Fish of San Angelo and their children, Lauren, Drew and Hannah, and Sally and her husband, Tom Cody of San Antonio and their children, Travis and Casey.

The family will receive friends Sunday afternoon from 1 o'clock until 3 o'clock at Porter Loring on McCullough. GRAVESIDE SERVICE MONDAY 10:45 A.M. FT. SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY The Rev. Ben Hubert officiating and Military Honors.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to any medical research. The family also wishes to thank Vitas Hospice for their gentle care. Arrangements with Porter Loring Mortuary.

Contributed by ?.