Ellen Murphy Shull

Ellen was born on June 10, 1937, in Peoria, Illinois to John Walter Murphy and Olive Gertrude Barton. Ellen was especially proud of her mother’s family history as she was a direct descendent of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross.

Ellen graduated valedictorian of Peoria Illinois’ Woodruff High School, class of 1955, an achievement made more special by a year-long absence due to rheumatic fever and the untimely death of her mother, Olive, during her junior year of high school.

Ellen received an academic scholarship and enrolled in Bradley University to pursue a degree in English where she met her future husband, ROTC cadet, John Allen Shull, who entered the Air Force in Spring 1957. They married May 15, 1957, and moved to Harlingen, Texas, followed by assignments at various stations in the US and Tokyo, Japan, before finally settling in San Antonio, Texas, in 1968.

Ellen raised her family in San Antonio, while John was away in Southeast Asia for two tours in support of the Vietnam Conflict. During that time, she pursued her undergraduate and graduate degrees. Ellen completed her B.A. in English at The University of the Incarnate Word, followed by an M.A in English at The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Education and teaching became an active passion. Ellen dedicated herself to teaching students and imbuing her many students with her love of English and writing. Her career included teaching at Incarnate Word High School, St. Mary’s University, and Palo Alto College. While teaching as a professor at Palo Alto, she began a recognized student writing journal, the Palo Alto Review. She was especially proud of the creative environment the Palo Alto Review provided. It was a literary portal for new and burgeoning writers that allowed undiscovered San Antonio literary talent to shine.

Ellen’s boss at Palo Alto College, Dr. Rafael “Ralph” Castillo, said that many former students still remember her because she had the ability to get the “best out of you.” Castillo recalls recruiting Ellen when she taught AP and Advance Composition at Incarnate Word High School. “I wanted her on the team because we were building an English curriculum from the ground up.” Former Chair of the Palo Alto College English Department, Stacey Johnson recollects, “Shull’s enthusiasm still shoots through the roof. Her passion and energy are her cornerstone.” While at Palo Alto College, Ellen won numerous awards, including the 1998 Outstanding College/University Language Arts Educator Award of Teachers of English. She was also nominated for the 1999 Piper Professor Award, presented by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation. Ellen touched the lives of thousands of students through her love of literature, her passion for her students, and her innate ability to make students comfortable.

Former Public Relations Director, Vincent Bosquez, remembers perusing San Antonio Woman Magazine and encountering the article, "Double Life: Poet and Businesswoman Beverly Monestier combines careers on two continents." Reading the article by Paula Allen, he was pleased to discover the following, “When Monestier was their age, she was at Incarnate Word High School, where English teacher Ellen Shull (now at Palo Alto College) 'did the best thing, anybody's ever done for me as a writer. She taught me how to accept criticism of my poems and learn from it.'...."

(Blog, January 23, 2007)

Ellen Shull was preceded in death by her parents; husband, John A. Shull; and son, Michael Shull. She is survived by her sons, John Allen “Jack” Shull, Jr. and Timothy Shull (Kathryn Weber); daughter, Dana Shull; grandchildren, Jenna Lentz, Ryan Shull, Katie Shull, Steven Weber, John Shull (Gabby), James Shull, and Christopher Shull; great-grandchildren, Carson Lentz, Caleb Palmer, Hayley Shull; and three siblings, Brian, Shelia, and Maureen.

SERVICE

FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2021

9:30 AM

PORTER LORING NORTH CHAPEL

Interment will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

The recording of the service can be viewed below.