Edith Isabel Bush Shores, age 91, of Northport, died on December 14th, 2015 at her home. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 17th at Forest Lake United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa with Rev. Melody Traylor officiating and arrangements by Sunset Brown-Service Funeral Home. Visitation with the family will take place beginning at 1:00 p.m. prior to the funeral.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Isaac Walker Bush, Jr. and Anna Louise Smith Bush of Norton, Virginia as well as her sisters Carolyn Elizabeth Goff (Hunter) of Rockford, Alabama and Lillian Maxwell Kelly (Joe) of Chattanooga, Tennessee and brothers Isaac Walker Bush, III of Sequim, Washington, and Charles Platte Bush of Millbrook, Alabama. She is also preceded in death by her husband, Rev. John Miller Shores, a United Methodist minister, of Winfield, Alabama and two step children, Hethie Eloise Kuelthau of Waupaca, Wisconsin and John Miller Shores, Jr. of Arab, Alabama.
Survivors include her son, William Maxwell Shores (Cindy) of Tuscaloosa, and granddaughters KT Shores of Seattle, Washington, as well as Mary Frances Barrett and Myra Florence Barrett of Tuscaloosa. She is also survived by great-grandson Vincent Asher Shores of Seattle, Washington and sisters-in-law Anna L. Bush of Sequim, Washington and Edna Grant Bush, formerly of Millbrook, Alabama now living in Phenix City, Alabama. Survivors also include two step children, Majorie Shores Pike of Springfield, Tennessee and Carolyn Shores Wright of Huntsville, Alabama.
Mrs. Shores assisted her brother-in-law, Dr. Hunter Goff of Rockford, Alabama on night house calls while she was still in high school, helping deliver babies and treat various illnesses. Following high school, she worked as a legal secretary in Norton, Virginia to save money for college. She attended Tennessee Wesleyan College and Emory and Henry University and received degrees in English and Religious Education.
She became active in the ministry of the United Methodist Church as a young person and served as a Rural Church and Community Worker employed by the Holston Conference of the church in Morristown, Tennessee for several years. She also served as a partner in ministry with her husband who was pastor to churches in Haleyville, Centre, Ensley, Leighton, and Winfield, Alabama. In addition, Rev. and Mrs. Shores served a circuit of two churches in Fayette County, Musgrove Chapel and White Springs, for 13 years.
After her husband’s death, she moved to Alexander City, Alabama where she was active in First United Methodist Church there and the Alabama Emmaus Community, a spiritual enrichment group. She moved in with her son Max in Tuscaloosa following some health problems and lived in the Tuscaloosa/Northport area for just over 20 years.
She will be remembered by all who knew her for her stories of faith and the various adventures she experienced in life. She was a loving person who helped, encouraged, and inspired many people throughout her life.
In lieu of flowers the family requests gifts be made in her honor to the Forest Lake United Methodist Church Missions Fund or to Hospice of West Alabama.