Wayne "Shelly" Sperry

Wayne Sheldon "Shelly" Sperry lived a life rich in family, friends and adventure. A man who led with his heart in all things, Shelly lived life to the fullest. He generously shared his talents in service to others, and was delighted to share in his many adventures. Whether at work or play, Shelly confidently faced life's challenges and enthusiastically celebrated its many joys. A loving husband, father, co-worker and friend, Shelly will long be remembered and so very missed.

America’s Greatest Generation proliferated soon after World War II. In Almont, Michigan, Wayne Sheldon Sperry Sr. and Carmen Lewis (McInally) welcomed their son Shelly to the age of Baby Boomers on November 23, 1948. To differentiate between Wayne Senior and Junior, the family affectionately referred to him as Shelly, which he lived by all his years.

Growing up in Capac, Michigan, Shelly was very close to his grandparents, as they basically raised him after his father died when Shelly was very young. Shelly learned a lot from his grandfather, who was an electrician for Detroit Edison. Shelly had a passion for learning new things. Whether it was electricity, cars, other engines or mechanicals, Shelly learned to fix just about anything. He loved to take on complex projects and help family and friends. Over the years, he safely and effectively upgraded the electrical service in his home and built many barns, sheds, other structures and projects.

Always very active, despite suffering from asthma his entire life, Shelly liked to stay busy. He was especially active in Boy Scouts, and a point of pride was his attainment of Eagle Scout. Very playful, and somewhat mischievous in childhood and young adult life, Shelly loved snowmobiling, water skiing, bowling, roller skating and, later, ballooning. He owned a metallic silver jetboat with a big block Oldsmobile engine and would often waterski in Portage Lake, even skiing barefoot. His adventurous spirit led him to try to outrun the police on his John Deere snowmobile, even riding on after Nanette fell off! They were eventually both caught, and the story became a family legend and inside joke. He also liked to ‘jump’ his car over a particular hilly roadway, and there was another car whose wheels just happened to fit all too perfectly on a local railway.

Shelly worked in a number of automotive/body shops before beginning a long career in the insurance industry. He loved helping people through his work. Whether lending his mechanical skills or working as an insurance adjustor, Shelly was happy to be of service.

In 1973, a co-worker introduced Shelly to Nanette Steinman, by telling her Shelly was taking her to dinner that night. The pair went to dinner at the Black Swan, where their love story began. The couple married on June 6, 1975, in a ceremony at West Mendon United Methodist Church.

Shelly and Nanette were delighted to become parents when their daughter Krissy was born in 1978. Their family was completed in 1984 when their son, Brock, was born. Shelly loved his children dearly and knew how vital adventures were for their souls. He was always willing to support and teach them throughout their many adventures in life.

After witnessing a hot air balloon event, Shelly decided ballooning was what he wanted to do next. Nanette offered to buy him a balloon ride; Shelly decided to sell his jetboat and snowmobiles and buy his own balloon instead! Shelly’s first flight was in his own balloon-as pilot! Like most things, Shelly picked it up quickly and became quite the professional. He started a small ride business, Adventures in Wicker, safely flying many passengers over the years with the support of family and friends as crew. Shelly amassed nearly 1,000 hours in hot air balloons.

On one particularly memorable flight, with bad weather and darkness looming, Shelly landed his balloon on an island in the St. Joseph River when no other option presented. Having already been reduced to communicating via a whistle, after a health bout had temporarily robbed him of a hearty voice, and, having lost radio contact with his crew, the recovery became an adventure. His crew found an old rowboat and used broken tree branches as paddles to shuttle people and equipment from the island. Shelly, wearing shorts as he always did, sustained scores of scratches and scrapes that subsequently became infected from his wading in the river. His passengers, however—not a scratch or splatter!

Shelly taught both of his children how to drive – at very young ages. Krissy would sit on his lap and they would drive together to get Saturday morning donuts. Brock’s training included, but wasn’t limited to, being an early designated driver after a particular post balloon flight celebration. Both free spirits and adventurers, Shelly and Nanette loved the freedom of traveling. After retiring from ballooning, Shelly purchased a Harley Davidson trike motorcycle. The bike connected them with friends who were also into motorcycles, further extending their circle of friends. Shelly and Nanette also loved traveling by cruise ship and enjoyed epic trips throughout Europe, Alaska, the Mediterranean, Hawaii, and more.

Shelly and Nanette treasured many canine companions over the years. Shelly’s latest was a Norwegian Elkhound mix, named Kaya. Shelly rescued Kaya from a shelter, as they had lost a previous pet just prior to Nanette recovering from a broken arm. Kaya quickly became Shelly’s dog, and she spent many workdays on the road with him. Early on, Kaya would literally climb over their backyard chain link fence to get to him, so Shelly used his electrical skills to electrify it. Kaya was HIS dog, and he loved her a lot over her 14 years.

Another source of pleasure for Shelly was ice cream! He shared this love with his family and friends, using just about any reason to indulge. When the kids had their wisdom teeth removed, they got ice cream; if kids were sad, ice cream; after a balloon ride, ice cream. Ice cream was even his last meal. He didn't discriminate when it came to flavors, but he did have a soft spot for chocolate peanut butter.

Though life may feel less certain in the absence of Shelly's steadfast companionship, may we find comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying on his legacy of hard work, skillful problem-solving, generous service, and love for adventure. In future moments, may we confidently tackle a challenge, cheer on our loved ones, share ice cream, enjoy the company of a good dog, and say "Yes!" to a new adventure. In doing so we celebrate the countless ways Shelly made the world a better place, keeping his memory alive and inspiring others as he inspired each of us.

Wayne "Shelly" Sperry, age 76, died on December 5, 2024. He was preceded in death by his parents. Surviving are his wife, Nanette; children: Krissy (Tom) Brown and Brock (Lea) Sperry; Brother, Richard Lewis; and sisters: Susan Lewis and Sally Leverance; many nieces and newphews; and many work colleagues, ballooning friends, and other loved ones.

Please join us for a Celebration of Shelly’s Life on Wednesday, December 11, at 4 PM, at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo, (269) 375-2900. A reception will follow in the Life Story Center, where food, drink, and stories will be shared. Burial will be Thursday, December 12, at 10 AM at Boughton Cemetery, 10249 S Ave. E, Scotts, MI. Please also help us celebrate Shelly's life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on his dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial contributions may be made to the Boy Scouts of America at donations.scouting.org.