Eula Shorey

Eula M. Shorey was the unflinching optimist, always looking to the future, but adamant at preserving the past. She was steadfast in her beliefs, and carried a true love for her family, her newspaper and her town.

Mrs. Shorey, widow of Henry A. Shorey III and former managing editor of The Bridgton News, died Nov. 15, 2011. She was 97. She had been a journalist for over 75 years.

Born Sept. 10, 1914, she was the daughter of William and Louise Cooksey Enochs of Sullivan, Ind. She moved to Bridgton in 1952 with her husband and children, Stephen and Mary Elizabeth.

Her newspaper career started at Sullivan High School where she was editor of the school paper, The Purple and Gold, and ad editor of the yearbook. At Depauw University, she reported sorority and fraternity news for The Depauw newspaper. Her first journalism job was at the Sullivan Daily Times in her hometown. From Indiana, she went to Pulaski, Va. to work for the Southwest Times. She returned to Indiana and worked as advertising manager for American United Life Insurance Company and editor of the company’s publication, The Fielder. She worked in New York for the New York Daily News in advertising research before going to E.R. Squibb & Sons to work in the advertising department and edit the Sales Bulletin which was distributed to Squibb’s 900 agents.

She met Lieutenant Henry A. Shorey III in New York and they married May 5, 1945 after his return from the European Theatre of World War II.

They spent a year in Pittsburgh, Pa., where Eula worked for the Pittsburgh Press and Henry did a year’s graduate work at Carnegie Tech School of Printing. They lived in Boston while Henry worked for Ginn & Co. textbook publishers, before moving to Bridgton in 1952 after the death of Henry’s father, H. A. Shorey Jr., to take over The Bridgton News.

While Henry served as Postmaster in Bridgton, Eula worked as managing editor of the paper for over 30 years. After she retired, she still contributed to the paper and served as vice president and secretary of the Bridgton News Corporation.

She served as president of the Maine Press Association, 1964–65, was Maine Journalist of the Year in 1981, and with Henry was elected to the Maine Press Association Hall of Fame in 1999.

She edited The Bridgton History, 1768–1968, which in 1968 was cited by the New England Association of State and Local History as the best history that year.

She was a board member of the New England Press Association and a judge in the Better Newspaper Contest of the National Press Association in Washington, D.C. She was a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi.

She served on the Cumberland CETA board, the Cumberland County Financial Committee, the Remember ME Committee, the Cumberland County TB and Health Association Board and the Board of Maine Association of Hospital Auxiliaries.

She was active in the Bridgton community, serving as founding member, president and trustee of the Bridgton Historical Society, trustee of the Northern Cumberland Memorial Hospital and president of the Hospital Guild, trustee of the Bridgton Public Library, president of the Bridgton Literary Club, founding member of the Bridgton Arts and Crafts Society, which has a building and outlet for work members do at home; charter member of Lakes Environmental Association, member of the former Business and Professional Women’s Club. She was Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1975 for her work for the Bridgton Bicentennial and in getting the bandstand and Scout Cabin for the town. She was a member of the First Congregational Church of Bridgton and a member of the Friendship Class.

She operated two businesses in Bridgton at different times: The Flower Patch, a flower shop next to the News Office and Blue Room Antiques at the Maine Difference. Her interest in antiques stemmed from serving as chairman of the Lake Region Antiques Show for the benefit of the Historical Society for over 20 years. She also did oil painting after age 80 as a hobby.

She collected photographs of Maine weathervanes as a hobby and this past June was guest of honor at the opening of the weathervane exhibit at the Rufus Porter Museum where her research was on display.

She was honored in 2007 by Rotary International and received the Family and Community Service Award from the Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club.

She was an honorary trustee of LEA and trustee emerita of the Bridgton Historical Society at the time of her death.

On April 7, of this year she was one of 15 women from Maine honored by MaineToday Media Inc. with the Great Women of Maine award.

She was predeceased by her husband; three sisters, Cecile Hall of Terre Haute, Ind., Lois Burton of Sullivan, Ind., and Mary Jo Simons of Washington, D.C.; and one brother, Maurice W. Enochs of Sullivan, Ind.

She is survived by her son, Stephen E. Shorey of Bridgton and wife Mary Patricia; and a daughter, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Shorey of Bridgton and Assonet, Mass.; two granddaughters, Carolyn Dupee and husband Jon of Mechanic Falls, and Patricia Shorey of Arlington, Va.; and great-grandson Matthew, also of Mechanic Falls; two nephews, Dr. Thomas E. Simons of Cambridge, Mass. and Michael Enochs of Stamping Ground, Ky.; and two nieces, Sara Simons of Philadelphia, Pa. and Beth Custer of Albion, Ill.

Visiting hours will be at Chandler Funeral Home, Elm Street, Bridgton on Friday, Nov. 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. At her request, there will be no funeral service. A private family burial will be held. Interment will be beside her husband in South High Street Cemetery, Bridgton.

Those wishing to honor the memory of Eula may contribute to the Bridgton Historical Society (Shorey Fund), P.O. Box 44, Bridgton; the First Congregational Church, P.O. Box 243; or the Bridgton High School Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 269, Bridgton, ME 04009.