Louise Simmons Shore

Louise Simmons Shore was born March 20, 1932 to O.B. and Pauline Martin Simmons in Winston-Salem. She graduated Mineral Springs High School in 1950 and attended Draughon’s Business College. She married the Rev. George E. Shore on August 12, 1951, the son of George Ray and Sarah Thelma (Sally) Hutchens Shore.

Louise was the consummate preacher’s wife during George’s career as a pastor of four congregations and then as a denominational leader at two Baptist Associations and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. She learned to sew from her mother Pauline, a well known seamstress in Winston-Salem, and made all of her own clothes for many years.

She worked part-time as a substitute teacher in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in the 1960s, as a kindergarten teaching assistant at King Baptist Church from 1972-73, and at Wachovia Bank. Her home life was devoted to raising her two boys, Steven and Kenneth, plus any baking, errands, housekeeping, organizing, sewing, or support that the churches needed where George pastored. This kindhearted attitude extended to her four grandchildren and great-grandson.

Living in three church parsonages from the 1950s to the late 1970s, Louise welcomed and hosted weddings, receptions, women’s circle groups, class fellowship meals and holiday parties. She was a constant companion to George in all aspects of ministry and a devoted choir member, Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher, WMU member and congregational missionary as the “preacher’s wife.” She played the piano and organ. Moving to Raleigh in 1979, George and Louise joined Crabtree Valley Baptist Church where she was generous with her time and energy. She volunteered on multiple committees, served as a church teller and used her experience to support children's ministry, meal services, music ministry and capital building campaigns. Together, George and Louise planned and participated in Young Hearts events for seniors and enjoyed being "young at heart" with their church friends.

Louise enjoyed planning trips and loved traveling with her family for both leisure and work. For more than 40 years, the Shores adventured throughout the Continental U.S. towing a travel trailer to attend Baptist conventions & conferences. Many of these trips were like caravans with a group of pastors’ families. The Shores were members of Campers on Mission sponsored by the Baptist State Convention of NC. They also visited Alaska & Hawaii, traveled extensively in Europe and participated in missions work in Brazil & Guatemala. In their retirement years, they enjoyed many trips to the Appalachian mountains to see the fall colors.

Louise was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, The Rev. Dr. George E. Shore. She is survived by her son Steve Shore (Darlene) in Apex, granddaughter Stefanie Shore Kuzdrall (David) and great-grandson Dylan in Apex; son Kenny Shore in Cary, granddaughter Hayley Shore in Dublin, Ireland, grandsons William E. Shore in Garner and David L. Shore in Apex.

The family requests memorials be made to Crabtree Valley Baptist Church, PO Box 30954, Raleigh, NC 27622; or Baptist Children’s Homes of NC, PO Box 338, Thomasville, NC 27360.

A Private Service for the Family will be held on Tuesday, December 29th, 2020 at 2:00 pm at Crabtree Valley Baptist Church. The family welcomes everyone to join them virtually through the live streaming option, to begin at 1:55 pm.

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