A loving husband, devoted father, proud grandfather, author and entrepreneur, Shelby Ray Gilley died Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010. A longtime resident of Baton Rouge, he was born in Rayville, LA on Feb. 1, 1942. He leaves behind his loving wife of 40 years, Marie; three sons and two granddaughters. As a successful proprietor of Gilley's Gallery and a prominent purveyor of Louisiana art, Shelby has been most notably recognized as the foremost authority on the life and art of folk artist Clementine Hunter, and author of the book on her life, "Painting by Heart." Shelby had called Baton Rouge home for nearly 43 years and had been an esteemed member of the community. After graduating from Northeast Louisiana State College, he moved to Baton Rouge to work as a social worker for Community Advancement and he became associate director of the Neighbourhood Youth Corp. He and Marie opened Bridal Boutique in 1969 and then established Gilley's Gallery shortly after.