Shell dedicated his life to help Atmore

Editor's note: The following column concerning the death of former Atmore Mayor Howard Shell, who died Saturday, Aug. 21 at the age of 88 was written by Michelle Gerlach, former publisher of the Atmore Advance.

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Wordsworth wrote, "There are in our existence spots of time ...."

This image captures what will forever be a defining one for me. It was 2004. Ivan had ripped the Gulf Coast apart, and Atmore and other parts of Escambia County had taken a good beating. If memory serves, this was Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, after the storm had moved through on Wednes...