Reverend Barbara Jean Shade

Durham

The Reverend Barbara Jean Shade, 78, passed away on September 10 at her home in Durham, North Carolina with her daughters at her side after battling pancreatic cancer. She was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania on May 5, 1944 to Dr. Jacob and Mrs. Dorothy (Tyson) Shade. At the age of ten, Barb started riding horses and soon became an accomplished equestrian. Before graduating from Boyertown High School in 1962, she was riding for United States Pony Clubs, Inc. - Berks County and competing at A level shows. From Pottstown, she headed south to Catawba College in Salisbury, NC where she continued to show, train horses and teach equitation while earning a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in History. She married in 1966 then moved to Chula Vista, CA where they lived for three years before returning to the Pottstown area. She balanced raising two daughters with her involvement in the community, which included volunteering with the Junior Service League, Meals on Wheels, Art Goes to School, and the board of Pottstown Mental Health. She also served as a national examiner for the United States Pony Club, Inc. In her "free" time, she enjoyed doing needlepoint and skiing.

In 1990, she graduated from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia with a Master of Divinity degree. Barbara served three congregations during her career:

Zion -St. John's (Reeds) Lutheran Church in Stouchsburg, PA; St. John's Lutheran Church, Morgan Hill in Easton, PA; and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Bangor, PA. After retiring in 2011, Barb moved south again to Durham, NC where she enjoyed spending time with her beloved Portuguese Water Dog (and his cat!) and with her dear friends from St. Paul's Lutheran Church and her local book club. Throughout her life, Barbara was a voracious reader and a lover of learning, with interests in a variety of topics including art, history, music, literature, theater, world events, etc. etc. etc.

Barbara was preceded in death by her father, mother, brother (Frederic Tyson Shade) and aunt (Sarah Jane Shade Ewing). She is survived by her two daughters, Brooke Spohn McCarty and Stephanie Spohn Fortner; her sons-in-law, Chris McCarty and Shayne Fortner; two grandchildren, Makenzie and Tyson McCarty; and two step-grandchildren, Peyton and Tucker Fortner.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1200 West Cornwallis Road, Durham NC 27705-5731 https://www.stpaulsdurham.org/giving-online.html

A Celebration to the Glory of God service will be held on Saturday, September 17th at 11:00 AM at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Durham.