February 20, 2019

Celebrating a legacy of community involvement, Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street and the Emerald Isle Parade committee have selected the family of W. Ferrell Shuck as its parade grand marshal.

Shuck served as publisher of the Lee’s Summit Journal from 1965 until his retirement in 2000. Leading the parade, in his honor, are Shuck’s wife, Janice, and their four children Beverly, Greg, Cindy, and Julie.

“For 35 years, Ferrell Shuck was a leader in this community,” said DLSMS Executive Director Donnie Rodgers. “When he passed away in December, we started thinking about the legacy of public service and community involvement he leaves behind. He was not only a champion for our downtown district, but for the entire community. What better way for us to honor him and his contributions than for us to have his living legacy lead the parade.”

“Ferrell’s community spirit has positively impacted his family and extended family,” shared Shuck’s daughters, Beverly Shuck
and Julie Doane. “We are blessed to have such a wonderful husband, father and grandfather.”

Shuck embodied the traditions of community journalism, ensuring local news was both relevant and topical to thousands of residents relying on the Journal for its news. He became a catalyst for change and for holding officials accountable through his weekly column, “Aww, Shucks.” In fact, his popular rabble-rousing style earned him a special place of honor in downtown Lee’s Summit. Do Drop Inn owner Sue Pfeifer decided to honor Shuck with his own soap box hanging on the wall inside the front door to the bar.

In 1996, the Missouri Press Association honored Shuck’s years of service to both the industry and his community by electing him to the Missouri Press Hall of Fame.

“I really am excited we get this opportunity to celebrate Ferrell,” said parade chair and owner of the Link 2 Lee’s Summit digital news service, Nick Parker. “I think I was one of the last editorial hires Ferrell made during his tenure at the Journal. Ferrell knew every aspect of the business and never missed an opportunity to educate a young editor like myself. And now, as I operate my own community news business in this town, I hope I can make him proud as I strive to not only tell the story of our community, but also hold leaders accountable and, at every opportunity, promote further growth and development of this place we call home.”

Third and Green streets will be lined with people on Saturday, March 9th, ready for the parade to begin at noon. Erin Little with KCTV5 will serve as the Master of Ceremonies when nearly 100 floats make their way through Downtown Lee’s Summit. Now in its 14th year, the Emerald Isle Parade will feature an “Irishly 80’s” theme, an homage to the organization’s founding year of 1989. Before the main event, families with children 8 and younger may participate in the Bits O’ Gold Coin Hunt at 11:30 a.m. in Howard Station Park on SE Main Street. Downtown restaurants and bars will feature their annual Emerald Isle Pub Crawl, which will take place after the parade and continue into the evening.

For more details, visit www.downtownLS.org/events.

The Emerald Isle Parade is presented by Llywelyn’s Pub, and sponsored by TMC Lakewood Counseling, Weed Man, Cable Dahmer Automotive Group, and Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street.