MT. SUMMIT, IN – “Whitey” Shively, a life-long resident of Mt. Summit, Ind., passed away June 7, following a brief illness. He was 81.
At the age of 13, Shively began an auctioneering career second to none, and continued to earn multiple awards and achievements for the rest of his life. He was the 2003 recipient of the Bernie Hart Memorial Trophy from the National Auto Auction Association, and was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, by the Indiana Auctioneers Association. At the time of his death, he was still employed at the Kesler-Schaefer Auto Auction in Indianapolis, a job he held for more than 60 years.
A veteran of the Korean War, he married Phyllis June Sidwell February 1953. After 51 years of marriage, she preceded him in death on January 14, 2004.
Shively was very active in his local community, serving as a one-time president of the Blue River Valley School Board, a member and president of the Henry County Memorial Park Board, a life-long servant of the Mt. Summit Christian Church, a member of the VFW, the Elks, and the American Legion, a member of the Sulphur Springs Lodge #348 F.&A.M., and the Scottish Rite Valley of Indianapolis. In 1984, he proudly joined the Murat Shrine with his son.
A treasured episode in his life occurred when his daughter invited him to work on the film, “Hoosiers.” He portrayed Doc Buggins, working alongside Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper.
Shively was born in a farmhouse September 22, 1927 to Mary Chambers and James Blaine Shively. He was the 10th of 12 children raised on the Shively farm, known as Sleepy Hollow. His great-grandfather was one of the original founders of Mt. Summit, in 1831, and a Shively has lived there ever since.
Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, Don and Laura Shively of Angola, Indiana; daughter, Debby Shively and son-in-law, Rick Parks of Los Angeles; grandchildren, Jack and Lilly Shively Parks; sister, Mary Lou (husband, Cloyd) Dye of New Castle; brother, Dick (wife, Mary Alice) Shively and brother, Chet (wife, Marilyn) Shively, all of southern Indiana; sister-in-law, Judy (husband, James) Savage of Florida, brother-in-law, Don (wife, Helen) Sidwell, also of Florida, brother-in-law, Dallas (wife, Sharon) Sidwell of New Castle, sister-in-law, Joanne Land of Ohio; numerous nieces and nephews, and thousands of children through the years who will never forget their "Uncle Whitey."
Services were held June 11 at the Mt. Summit Christian Church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Whitey's name to the Mt. Summit Christian Church, or another charity of the donor’s choice.
