The family of Joe Edd Shotwell are inviting friends and family to a visitation Thursday April 5 2012 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at North's Memorial Chapel. Joe Edd Shotwell 82 of Abilene passed away April 1 2012 at a local hospital. Services will be held Friday at 2:00 p.m. at St. Paul United Methodist Church with Eddie Riveria presiding. Burial will be at Elmwood Memorial Park under the direction of North's Funeral Home. Joe Shotwell was a very beloved brother and friend who could light up your heart with his great smile. He was known to be very outspoken. Though he had a great sense of humor he did not suffer foolishness lightly leading some to see him as gruff and rough around the edges. Those who knew him knew he would do anything that he could to help you and that his word was his bond. In short Joe was "the real deal." Joe Shotwell was the son of P.E. and Ura Shotwell. He graduated from Abilene High School in 1948. He played football at Abilene High and then played at Tarleton State University. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was trained as an aircraft radar specialist. After his honorable discharge from the Air Force he went to work for Convair in Ft. Worth as an aircraft engineer. He was part of the team that helped bring the F-102 Delta Dart fighter the first U.S. supersonic fighter into service in 1956. He next worked for Boeing in Palmdale California. He became involved in bobsledding. Joe returned to Abilene in 1968 to care for his parents. He began to invest in real estate and continued that until his death. Joe was a lifelong Methodist and member of St. Paul United Methodist Church where he attended the Excel Men's Bible Class. He joined the" Founder" Lions Club in 1978 and was chosen "Lion of the Year" in 1993. He was given the Melvin Jones Award in 1996. Joe is survived by his younger brother Dick Neal Shotwell and his wife Helen and their Son Neal Shotwell and his son Willie and by family members Michael and Sandra Pelfrey of Amarillo Richard "Pat" Pelfrey of Amarillo Timothy Pelfrey of Mobile Alabama and Kit and Cyndee Pelfrey of Mission Texas. He will be missed by many friends including A.C. and Mary Beth Sharp Haold Word Barbara and Bynum Miers Gretchen Tucker and Jeannie Williams and his Truck Stop "family" Mersaydies Zena Shelly and Sandy. On-line condolences may be made at www.northsfuneralhome.com