Sarah Alice Shore

     Sarah Alice Shore, of Lexington, passed away peacefully September 6, 2026, in Purcell, Oklahoma at the age of 87. Memorial services will be held at a later date entrusted to the care of Wadley’s Funeral Service.

     Alice was born on October 29, 1938, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to Walker S.K. and Sarah Elizabeth (Ross) Cowart. She was raised in Reform, Alabama.

     During the adventure of a lifetime, Alice met her soul mate, Billy Charles Shore, at the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium, where she was a hostess in the American Pavilion and he was stationed at the US Embassy. Alice and Bill were married on May 30, 1960, in Reform, Alabama. Alice attended Mississippi State College for Women, Auburn University, the University of Alabama, and earned her master’s degree in library science from the University of Oklahoma (Boomer Sooner!). Alice and Bill lived briefly in Norman, Oklahoma, before moving to Lexington, where they made their home for more than 60 years and raised their four children. 

     Alice devoted her career to education and to her love of books. She worked for schools in Oklahoma City, Lexington, Wayne, and Purcell, serving for many years as the librarian at Purcell High School before retiring in 2005. She took great joy in sharing books and literature with young people and helping them discover the worlds that reading could open to them. She also served as a Red Cross swimming instructor for many summers and as a Den Mother for Cub Scouts, always finding ways to give her time and talents to others. 

     Those who knew Alice will remember her most for the way she cared for people. She was gentle, sweet, generous, and humble, (a bit strong-willed) – a genuine southern lady, with a quiet way of making others feel supported and loved. She was always willing to help, never seeking recognition for what she did. Whether caring for her family, encouraging a friend, helping a child, or simply making someone feel welcome, Alice gave of herself freely. Her kindness was not something she talked about – it was simply the way she lived. 

     Family was at the heart of Alice’s life.  Some of the family’s most cherished memories are of gathering in Alice’s kitchen, where she expressed her love through cooking and sharing meals with the people she loved. For decades, family gatherings at Gulf Shores, Alabama, and St. George Island, Florida, brought generations together, creating memories that will remain with her family for years to come. Alice also enjoyed pottery, macramé, and reading, but her greatest joy was found in the people around her. Alice leaves behind a family who will miss her deeply and who will carry forward the kindness, generosity, and quiet strength she showed throughout her life. Her legacy lives not only in the generations of family she leaves behind, but also in the many people she helped, encouraged, taught, and cared for along the way.

     Alice is preceded in death by her husband, Billy Charles Shore; her son, Charles Walker Shore; her parents, Walker and Sarah Cowart; her sister, Betsy Stucki; her brother, Walker S.K. Cowart, Jr.; her brothers-in-law, Herman Metnetsky and Curt Stucki; and her great-grandchild, Terri Clanton.

     Alice is survived by her son, Ross (Noell) Shore of Lexington, Oklahoma; her daughters, Sarah (Keith) Pearson of Estes Park, Colorado, and Mary Shore of Lexington, Oklahoma; her nine grandchildren, David (Suzyn) Peery, Stephanie Shore, Erin Shore, Morgan (Karie) Maddux, Alexander Pearson, Joshua Pearson, Lucas Pearson, Caylin (Trent) Anthis, and Camlin Dunn; her nine great-grandchildren, Brendon Peery, Bradley Shore, Mason Shore, Emmett Clapp, Alexia Bennett, Charleigh Clanton, Waylon Clanton, Tyce Price, and Kendalyn Peery; her sisters, Linda Metnetsky, Shirley (Robert) Ammons, and Ellen (Allen) Horton; her daughter-in-law, Angie Shore; and numerous other relatives and friends.