Tarey B. Schell grew up in the expanse of North Dakota and tailored a career equally as broad.
It was a career that spanned 26 years in the Army and another 21 years in law, where he served in private practice and spent 12 years on the bench of the Griffin Judicial Circuit.
Mr. Schell, 72, of Peachtree City died from a sudden brain aneurysm, at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta Sept. 7. Funeral services were held Saturday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Peachtree City.
Prescilla Schell, his wife of 50 years, recalled him as a caring man who garnered admiration from all of his peers. When he was named presiding Juvenile Court judge in 2004, she said, the story went around that other candidates had said ‘If you don't choose me, choose Tarey Schell.'
Mr. Schell was born Jan. 19, 1939 in the small town of Rugby, N.D. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1961.
Heading to the academy by bus was his first time in the big city, his wife recalled.
"He turned to the young man next to him and said ‘People are pretty pale around here.' " Mrs. Schell said with a laugh. "And the man replied to him: ‘At least we don't have hay in our ears.'"
While in the Army, he earned a master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, then served as operations officer for the 1st Cavalry Division Artillery, Vietnam in 1968-1969. Following his tour, he was professor of English from 1969-1972 and assistant dean from 1976-1980 at West Point. He retired from active duty as Lieutenant Colonel in 1984.
Mr. Schell returned to school, and in 1990, at age 50, he graduated from Georgia State University School of Law.
"He was getting his degree in law while I was down at Auburn getting my degree in art," said his son, Christopher. "We would always have the same breaks together -- Christmas break, spring break -- and we'd say ‘Hey, we can hang out together.'"
Upon graduation, Mr. Schell established a firm with partner Glen Burn in Peachtree City and remained in practice until 2004.
Christopher Schell recalled his father as a man who remained active his entire life but always included time for his children and grandchildren.
"He always made time for his family," he said, "whether at soccer games or other activities, regardless of his work load."
He was a member of the Peachtree City Optimist Club, the Knights of Columbus and helped organize food pantries in Peachtree City.
Judge Schell became especially committed to the families whose children were placed in foster care, and he helped launch the local chapter of Court Appointed Special Advocates, a program that supports foster children. He worked with local churches to provide a space and time for visits at no cost to the parents.
More recently, as Drug Court judge, Mr. Schell worked to rebuild lives of teens and young adults, said Donna Michel, coordinator for the program.
"He wasn't a man sitting in this position filling a square," she said. "A lot of compassion has to come in, and he had a lot of that."
Mr. Schell was so committed to Drug Court, she said, that he was in the process of making the program a legal non-profit entity. That way, she said, the court could expand its funding sources in the face of government cutbacks.
"He is going to be missed," she said. "He was just the perfect person to be in this role."
Aside from his wife and son, other survivors include: children, Gretchen Schell, Adrienne Barreto and Lauren Bozone; and nine grandchildren.
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