Arligues Henry Shackelford

Arligues Shackelford was born on August 13, 1932 in Marianna, AR., the fifth child of Arligues Henry and Elizabeth Williams Shackelford. The name Arligues was a hold over from slavery. The meaning has eluded the family. It is pronounced are-lee-just; some just say lee-just. His grandfather was born in slavery (1852-1937) and it was he who named Arligues Sr. and Jr. Arligues's father was a sharecropper and they lived on a several small farms until his death in 1941. His mother was six months pregnant with her ninth child- Douglas. After his father's death, the family moved to Memphis, TN. and lived with Arligues's great-uncle on a farm on Mud Island, now a tourist attraction. This land sold for $10,000 and acre. It is now a golf course. Arligues completed his public education in the Memphis TN. School System in 1951 and enrolled in Tennessee State University where he earned a BS degree in Biology/Chemistry in 1955 and was almost immediately inducted into the US Navy. After basic training, Arligues went to San Diego, California. Arligues worked several months assisting the dentist at the chair and taking classes at Berkeley University until he was transferred to the US Naval Medical Center at Berkeley University. This was a top secret laboratory in germ warfare. The Navy was interested in the clearance rate of Bacteria from the nose and throat after exposure. Upon his discharge from the service in 1957, he was employed to continue research at the Naval Medical Research Institute in Bethesda, MD., another of the four research installations in the Navy. Arligues retired in 1987 after working 30 years with highly contagious organism and radioactive compounds. During his career, he was instrumental in the in the publication of several articles. In 1970 he received training as an Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor and Investigator. He was appointed to investigate several complaints in the Naval District, Washington, DC. While working full-time, he also was a part-time student at Howard University where he earned a MS degree in Microbiology in 1968. His job allowed him to teach Math and Science from 1968-1978 for the Department of Adult Education at Armstrong Adult Education Center in Washington, DC. In the military Arligues met and married his first wife Hazel B. Branch in 1957. The couple had 8 children and divorced in 1982. He remarried in 1989 and lost his wife Theresa J. Shackelford in 1994 to Breast Cancer. Arligues is also a cancer survivor. Arligues joined Reid Temple in 1995. He was part of the Parking Ministry, Transportation, Golden Reids, Noon Bible Study, Vacation Bible School and The Board of Trustees. Since retiring, Arligues has worked as a substitute teacher in MD and DC and as a Tax Consultant during the tax season. He also enjoyed most board games and puzzles. Arligues is proceeded in death by aunts on his mother's side; Agnes Nealy (Topsy), Grady Sullivan, and Clara Harris, siblings; Ollie (born 1922), Eugene (born 1925), Doris (born 1927), Vera (born 1929), Barbara (born 1936), Billy Sue (born 1937), Donald (born 1939), and Douglas (born 1942). Arligues is survived by his children; Joslyn P. Scott (Ronald), Renee G. Shackelford, Dion D. Shackelford, Sean A. Shackelford, Tol W. Shackelford, Georgina A. Shackelford, Dierdre D. Shackelford, and Lydia B. Jones (Shannon), grandchildren; Brandon W. Shackelford, Ronald J. Scott, Jordan A. Scott, and Sean A. Shackelford, great-grandchildren; Brandon C. Shackelford, Eve C. Shackelford, and Noah C. Shackelford. He is also survived by Gary Shackelford and a host of nieces and nephews. Arrangements entrusted to Chicagoland Cremation Options of Schiller Park, Illinois.