Manatee County clerk R.B. 'Chips' Shore dies in Bradenton
BRADENTON -- Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court R.B. "Chips" Shore was found dead in his home Wednesday. He was 74.
At 12:04 p.m., paramedics responded to Shore's home in the 1200 block of 21th Street West in Bradenton, according to Manatee County EMS Chief Steve Krivjanik.
A death investigation is now underway by the Bradenton Police Department but no foul play is suspected.
Shore, who has been clerk since 1977, was found dead by his daughter, who had gone home to check on him after he missed two meetings Wednesday morning, according to a neighbor, Doug Connours.
Connours said his dog Dixie started barking so he looked out front and saw Shores' daughter.
"She was pacing back and forth," he said.
Knowing something was wrong and having been a reserve police officer in Minnesota, he offered his help.
It was then he discovered she had found her father dead inside the home.
A neighbor for 2 1/2 years, Connours said he had just seen Shores on Tuesday.
"We always waved at each other," he said. "He was a great guy."
Shore lived in the home with his wife and dog.
"They're good people," Connours said.
In 1972, Shore was selected as city clerk and treasurer for Bradenton. In 1976, he was elected as clerk of the circuit court and chief financial officer and took office in 1977.
He already had filed to run for a 12th four-year term as clerk.
Circuit Judge Gilbert Smith was preparing to hear a case when his clerk whispered the news that Shore had died.
Smith immediately called a recess.
"It's such a shock. It's sad losing him, but it's special that he accomplished the spectacular project with the Manatee County Historic Courthouse," Smith said, referring to the recent restoration of the room that was unveiled on July 15.
"I just sent him a letter thanking him for letting me be part of that. Chips put his heart and soul into that project. I told him I can't wait for his next project," Smith said.
Commissioner Carol Whitmore, who has known Shore since 1990, said she couldn't believe it as she just saw him at the courtoom reopening ceremony.
"He's always been there for us as a county," Whitmore said. "He's an icon for this county. He did a lot of good things for this county. ...He was always a gentleman, never got mad and was always respectful. That's why he was so succesful."
During Shore's career, the nation went through a sea change, including the online revolution and most recently gay marriage, with clerks across the nation issuing marriage licenses.
"He made the clerk's office one of the best operated in the state, if not the nation," Smith said.
Shore also was a leader in making public records available to the public, including putting them online.
He was also known for his devotion to historic preservation of buildings, documents and monuments.
"He was ahead of the curve in making records public. We have constantly been visited by others clerks and judges. He was very, very involved with young people," Smith said.
First Amendment Foundation President Barbara Petersen, who was saddened to hear the news Wednesday, said Shore was a "remarkable man in a lot of ways."
"I think he did more to move the clerks of the court into the 21st century than just about anyone else in Florida," Petersen said. "I can't think of anybody more than Chips to ensure we had access to court records electronically. ... Chips was instrumental in that. I'm really very sorry and sad at his loss. We've lost a very good man in Chips."
Shore created the prototype in the state, Petersen said.
"He led the effort," she said. "He has helped ensure that Florida remained the gold standard. We are what many other states aspire to."
Shore helped preserve Manatee County's past through the office's Historical Resources Department, and he earned the 2008 National Award of Merit from the American Association of State and Local History for his contributions to historic preservation and heritage education in the county.
Through his duties as a comptroller, Shore was the auditor and custodian of Manatee County's funds.
Former county Commissioner Pat Glass was elected to the board two years after Shore. Glass said the title seems to be "mundane" for someone with so much responsibility.
"I considered him to be trustworthy," Glass said. "He always came through with any issue concerning us. ...He was a good friend to Manatee County."
The community's respect for Shore is evident in the fact that the county kept re-electing him, Glass said.
"There isn't anything in Manatee County that he didn't have something to do with as far as our finances are concerned," Glass said. "There is a debt of gratitude and he will be collecting it now. He was a really dedicated person and dedicated his life to service in Manatee County."
Ken Brown, a neighbor down the street from the Shore home, saw the police cars and had called Shore's wife to make sure everything was alright. After getting no response, he walked over.
Brown covered his mouth in shock and his eyes began to get teary.
"He was a great man," Brown said a short time later outside his home. "He would do anything for anyone."
Brown said he had known Shore for a long time, before Shore and his wife moved into the neighborhood several years ago. Shore truly loved his wife and family, as well as his job, he said.
Just Friday, he said the couple had brought him over a bag of Mangos.
"It was just what they do, they were always dropping off a bag of some bananas, avocados or something," Brown said.
Brown became upset again as the shock of the news continues to hit him. Out of concern for Shore's wife and daughters, Brown said he was already cooking food for them to eat that he would take over later.
"He was an icon," Brown said. "There's not a house in this community that does not have at least one piece of paper in it with his name on it."
Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter@JDeLeon1012.
This story was originally published July 29, 2015 at 3:12 PM with the headline " Manatee County clerk R.B. 'Chips' Shore dies in Bradenton ."