Mary Katherine Shell (née Jaynes; February 9, 1927 — May 19, 2018)[1] was an American Republican politician who served as the 23rd Mayor of Bakersfield for a single term between 1981 and 1985.
She attended Bakersfield College, but dropped out shortly before graduation, instead choosing to work a variety of jobs relating to agriculture and aviation before becoming a political organizer.
[2] Shell decided to run for mayor in the 1980 election, and came narrowly behind Sheriff Charles Dodge in the primary.
[4] Because Bakersfield uses a weak mayor system of government, her role was largely ceremonial, so she decided to not seek reelection in 1984, and was succeeded by Bob Price.
[2] Shell served three terms on the Kern County Board of Supervisors between 1985 and 1996, being an opponent of government regulation.