Avaniel "Nell" Shively

Avaniel “Nell" Shively passed away in Sedona at the age of 91. Nell was born in Scuddy, KY in a coal mining camp house. She was a real coal miner’s daughter! At 18, she joined the Navy as a WAVE during the Korean conflict. While in the Navy, she studied and became an aerographer.

Nell was adventurous, struck out on her own, and took care of herself! After serving in the Navy, Nell moved to Chicago, where she worked and played until 1971, at which time she moved to California. After working in credit and collections for 24 years, Nell decided it was time for a change. In 1978, she and her then partner moved to Sedona, AZ and bought The Sedona Bakery. Neither of them had any professional baking experience. They persevered and made a living for 13 years, first in Uptown Sedona and later relocated to the Village of Oak Creek. Then Nell moved on to become a Rural Mail Carrier in Sedona for 19 years. She retired from the Postal Service in 2004 at the age of 70 and remained in Sedona for the rest of her life.

While living in Sedona, Nell became involved in the Civil Air Patrol. She had gotten her pilot’s license years before while living in San Jose, CA. In the CAP she obtained the rank of first lieutenant and served as observer, looking for downed airplanes as well as drug runners along the border.

Nell endured several tragedies in her immediate family. She cherished and adored visits with each of her nieces and nephews over the years. As well, she always gave a generous smile and twinkle in her eyes when she got together with friends. Nell is remembered as a lovely, kind, clever, strong, hard working, dependable, good valued, integrity filled, upbeat, never complaining, force of nature.

In the heyday of her senior years, she loved playing cribbage and euchre, and was darn good at it. She lit up and appreciated playing one last game of cribbage with a good friend about two months before she passed away.

Nell loved RVing and enjoyed the freedom of the open road, especially during all her retirement years. She will forever be in our hearts and now is “on the road again”.

Nell was predeceased by her parents, Justice and Florence Shively, and her three sisters, Justine, Joyce, and Faye, her nephews Corbett Brashear Jr. and James Goble Combs and niece Teresa Turner.

She is survived by her loving wife of almost 35 years, Joni Shuman, her nephews Sanford Adams (Linda) and Sam “Sonny” Combs, nieces Connie Alexander (Fred) and Vicki Brashear, numerous great nieces and nephews and many close friends.

Nell’s ashes will be interred at a later date in a private ceremony at Felix Brashear Cemetery in her home town of Viper, KY.