M. Elizabeth Shellabarger

Mary Elizabeth Shellabarger (October 16, 1879 – June 25, 1967) was a Registered Nurse, army nurse overseas during World War I, and director of American Red Cross Nursing Service in Albania and Montenegro.

Early life M. Elizabeth Shellabarger was born in Moffat, Colorado, on October 16, 1879, the daughter of Adam Shellabarger (died 1915) and Abigal "Abbie" Wales, Colorado pioneers.

1920s From 1920 to 1921, Shellabarger was Director of the Public Health Nursing Course at the University of Colorado, with field service at Pueblo, Colorado. In 1922, she was director of Public Health Nursing under the American Red Cross Nursing Service in Albania and Montenegro. In 1924, she was Director of the Public Health Nursing Course at the Missouri School of Social Economy in St. Louis. From 1925 to 1927, she was Superintendent of Hospital and School of Nursing at Memorial Hospital, Cheyenne, Wyoming: from this position she voluntary resigned when the Board of Trustees would not give the necessary support to raise the standards and meet the requirements to become Class A under College of Surgeons. She was the president of the Wyoming State Nurses Association in 1926. In 1928 and 1930, she made a survey of Schools of Nursing in Arkansas for the State Board of Nursing Examiners while she was Inspector of Schools of Nursing. She was then named Educational Secretary. In October 1929, she taught Sciences at the City School of Nursing, Colorado.

Shellabarger was member of American Legion Auxiliary, Cheyenne College Club, American League of Nursing Education, American Public Health Association, Episcopal Church, Order of the Eastern Star, Daughters of the American Revolution, and American Association of University Women.