Rev. Mark Riley Shore entered the presence of the Lord on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at VIA of Carlisle Center in Carlisle, Iowa after a long and difficult struggle with Alzheimer’s.
Mark was born on August 1, 1944, to parents Dorothy (Smith) and Vern Shore in Durango, Colorado. He had two older siblings Verle and Jaxine, four years later his sister, Bonnie, completed their family. It was during family devotions as a young boy that he accepted Christ as his personal Savior.
Following his high school graduation, he attended Biola University in La Mirada, CA where he met his first wife, Patricia Russell. After they were married on August 28, 1965, he became the pastor of First Baptist Church in Dove Creek, CO where their son, Joel, was born. Wanting further ministry training, he enrolled in the fall of 1969 at Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, WI. The Lord blessed them with two additional sons, David and Paul.
In January of 1971, Mark graduated from MBBC and became the pastor of Berean Baptist Church in Galesville, WI. On April 12, 1971, he was involved in a car accident two miles south of Hastings, MN that resulted in the deaths of his wife and their three young sons. God not only miraculously spared his life, but to the utter astonishment and amazement of doctors, God healed him completely. Without any need of therapy or medical devices, he was able to leave St. Paul Ramsey Hospital thirteen short days after the accident “without even a Band-Aid” as Mark would say. There was much sorrow, but little physical pain or limitations.
A few weeks later, Mark accepted an Associate Pastor position under Dr. Wayne Van Gelderen Sr. at Marquette Manor Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois where he met his wife, Anne Roth, who came to teach 4th grade at MMBC Christian School in August of 1973.
Following their wedding on December 29, 1973 at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Des Moines, IA, Mark returned to Wisconsin to become the pastor at Temple Baptist Church in La Crosse, WI (1974-1980). Other churches he pastored were Rock Lake Baptist Church, Lake Mills, WI (1980-1986), Manor Baptist Church, San Leandro, CA (1986-1988), and Bible Baptist Church, Hudson, WI (1989-2015).
Mark served on the board of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Baptist Churches in many different capacities. He was also a board member of Baptist World Mission for thirty years. Mark’s passion was preaching and declaring the absolute truth of God’s Word. He was also a gifted musician and accomplished pianist. His greatest personal desire was to always please and serve the Lord. As children, their spouses, and grandchildren were added to the family, he had the same desire for each one of them. He loved each one “very, very much” and would remind each grandchild with a big hug.
Mark is survived by his wife, Anne; his children, Jonathan (Ruth) Shore, Benjamin (Katie) Shore, and Rachael (Nate) Metcalf; grandchildren, Kay Lee, Abigail, Hannah, Benson, Riley, Logan, Charlie, Deborah, Parker, Caleb, Mary, Nelson, Connor, Gideon and Mac; sister, Bonnie Blanka; brother; Verle (Darlene) Shore; mother-in-law, Doris (Terry) Roth; sisters-in laws, Darlene Shore, Terri Sperr, Susan Pierschbacher, and Karen Roth; brothers-in-laws, Rev. Stanley Blake, Andy Russell, Wesley Sperr, John Pierschbacher, and Richard Roth; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The family would like to extend their sincere appreciation for the compassionate care he received at Via of Carlisle these past weeks.
Funeral Services will be Monday, May 13, 2024, at 11:00 am at Fellowship Baptist Church in Des Moines, Iowa. (Live streaming on YouTube: Fellowship Baptist DSM) Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Des Moines, Iowa. A light luncheon will follow in Sunset’s Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts will be allocated toward funeral expenses.