James Wellington Shilling

His accomplishments were many; his disappointments few…. James Wellington Shilling, age 83, of Knox, Indiana, passed away at home on Saturday, October 17, 2015. Born on March 17, 1932, in the LaPorte Hospital, he was the son of Russell and Mary Edna (Pulver) Shilling. He lived his entire life on the Shilling family farm just north of Knox. Jim was a well known farmer, businessman, historian, and community leader in the Starke County area. He is survived by his wife Melba (Burton) Shilling, his son Bradford Shilling of Yonkers, New York, his daughter and son-in-law Brenda and Mark Krom of Knox, Indiana, and his two grandchildren, Kaylee and Carson Krom. He was preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Mary Edna (Pulver) Shilling, and his brother, Donald Shilling. He was inquisitive from an early age. His favorite pastime was taking things apart to see how they worked, then meeting the challenge of putting them back together. He was a boy scout and was in 4-H, taking his Black Angus cattle for his 4-H project. After graduation from Knox High School in 1950, he signed up for the Purdue Short Course in Agriculture. That was so much fun that he enrolled in Purdue for real, graduating with a B.S. in Agriculture in 1955. While at Purdue, he became active in Wesley Foundation, the Methodist Student Foundation on campus, where he met his future wife, Melba. His story is that his first thought was, "There's the girl who will take care of me when I'm 80!" Wanting to serve his country, he enlisted in the Army in 1955, being stationed with NATO in Germany for a year. He and Melba were married on April 1, 1956. Back home in Starke County, Jim eventually took over the family farm. He was one of the first local farmers to practice minimum tillage, use a semi tractor and trailer to haul grain, and implement soil conservation practices. When an excavating business became available, he broadened his agricultural interests by digging ditches with skilled operators as employees. He also obtained a real estate broker's license, to be able to sell farms. An innovator in the Agricultural Industry, he "improved" most equipment he bought. Seeing the need to monitor the temperature in stored grain, Jim developed "Agri-therm", a system which was used by farmers and the popcorn industry. His agricultural-related honors include selection as an Indiana Prairie Farmer Master Farmer, Indiana Master Farm Conservationist, Purdue Agricultural Alumni Board of Trustees, and PCA Distinguished Service Award. He was presented the Henry F. Schricker Award for "Outstanding Community Service Before Self" in 1998. The Purdue Alumni Association presented him with the Citizenship Award in April of 2002. His was a pioneer family in Starke County, having come from Stark County, Ohio, to Starke County, Indiana in 1851. Jim's love of history was a life-long adventure. He was president of the Starke County Historical Society for over 15 years, until his health began failing. He had a major responsibility in building the Knox United Methodist Church, in developing the Gateway Area and restoring the Depot in Knox, in moving the Rochester pony truss bridge to Wythogan Park, in repairing the Starke County Courthouse for public tours, in building the Farm Bureau building in Knox, in planning the Courthouse Centennial celebration, and in planning the Starke County Sesquicentennial celebration. Jim was always thinking of ways to improve the community. He left a legacy of volunteerism that will be hard to match. He was always striving to help young people learn, be creative, and have a interest in the local history. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, October 22, 2015, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. CST, at the Knox United Methodist Church at 201 S. Shield Street in Knox. The funeral will be held at 10:00 a.m. CST on Friday, October 23, 2015, in the church, with a burial ceremony to follow at Crown Hill Cemetery in Knox. Pastor of the Knox United Methodist Church, Dr. Dean Fager, will officiate. Rannells Funeral Home of Hamlet is assisting with arrangements. Donations may be made to the Starke County Historical Society, the Knox United Methodist Church, or to a charity of the donor's choice.

James Wellington Shilling

March 17, 1932 - October 17, 2015