Thank you so much for the wonderful tribute to our dear Shel. I’ve known Shel all my life as we are first cousins and one week apart in age. Our families were very close and as a result, Shel and I spent much time together. We went to the movies every Saturday afternoon as kids and especially enjoyed the musicals of the ’40’s. We would buy the records of the movie songs, come home and put on a lip-singing performance for our families.
My sister and I used to tease Shel as we would read the funnies and throw away the newspaper. Not Shel, he would cut out his favorite strips and paste them in scrapbooks, which he kept for many years. I didn’t see much of Shel when we grew out of our teens as I married and moved out of town and he went on to art school, but we did keep in touch. He was quite a good artist but his first love remained the comic strip. He was so proud when he became Milt Caniff’s letterer. He gave us all quite a thrill when Milt Caniff allowed him to first put his father in one of the Terry and the Pirate strips, then his mother and then me.
Shel is a unique person; a truly gentle, caring, warm human being, who gave from the heart. Throughout the years he always remembered my husband, children and me, with books, comics, notes and an occasional telephone call. How he loved San Diego and the many friends he made there, especially the children. He was proud and happy when both his and his friends efforts succeeded and the Comic-Con came into existence. That was his baby!
I will always remember what a wonderful son he was to his mother and his genuine love for his family and friends. All my best to you dear Shel.
With much love,
Donnie
Jack Kirby (left) and Shel Dorf — Nov. 9, 1969