Joseph C. Shell

Joseph C. Shell
Shell c. 1961
Minority Leader of the California Assembly
In office
1959–1963
Succeeded byCharles J. Conrad
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 58th district
In office
December 2, 1953 – January 7, 1963
Preceded byLaughlin Edward Waters Sr.
Succeeded byHarvey Johnson
Personal details
Born
Joseph Claude Shell

(1918-09-07)September 7, 1918
La Conner, Washington, U.S.
DiedApril 7, 2008(2008-04-07) (aged 89)
Bakersfield, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Barbara Morton (m. 1940 - div. 1968),
Mary K. Shell (m. 1970)
Children4
EducationUniversity of Southern California (B.S.)
Military service
Branch/service United States Navy
Battles/warsWorld War II

Joseph Claude Shell, Sr. (September 7, 1918 – April 7, 2008) was a Republican politician from California who served in the California State Assembly from 1953 to 1963 from the 58th district. He later served on the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board. In 1962 he was a failed primary candidate for Governor of California, where he ran to the right of then former Vice President Richard Nixon. [1]

Shell attended the University of Southern California, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and was captain of the 1939 USC football team which won the Rose Bowl that year. He then served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.[1]

His second wife was Mary K. Shell, a former member of the Kern County Board of Supervisors and the first female Mayor of Bakersfield.[2]

  1. ^ a b Vassar, Alex; Myers, Shane. "Joseph C. Shell". JoinCalifornia.com. JoinCalifornia.com. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  2. ^ Price, Robert (June 14, 2018). "Mary K. Shell: Beloved, trailblazing former mayor dies at 91". Bakersfield.com. Bakersfield.com. Retrieved March 3, 2023.