‘Chips’ Shore dies July 29
R.B. “Chips” Shore, 74, Manatee County clerk of circuit court, died July 29.
Mr. Shore served the longest term of office of any clerk of court in the county. He had recently filed to run for his 10th term in office. He was clerk of the courts and comptroller of Manatee County since 1977.
Mr. Shore was the pioneer for electronic judicial records in the state and throughout the United States. He was responsible for many technological advances, such as e-filing, public access to court records and a judicial application for judges to access court records.
He also piloted the only child support enforcement program run by a clerk of circuit court in Florida and created the Manatee County Historical Resources Department. Recently, Mr. Shore celebrated the re-opening of the historic courtroom at the county courthouse on Manatee Avenue in downtown Bradenton.
In honor of Mr. Shore, and for his staff, the court and comptroller’s office, as well as the historic courthouse, were closed from 2 p.m. July 29 to 8:30 a.m. July 31.
Manatee County Commission Chair Betsy Benac paid tribute to Mr. Shore. “Chips Shore was a Manatee County institution and I can think of no one who appreciated local history more than Chips,” she said. “For proof of that, look at the complete renovation he brought about for the historic courthouse and grounds during the height of the recession. My heartfelt condolences go out to Chips’ family and to all of those who loved him and loved working with him. He will be missed.”
County administrator Ed Hunzeker, in a news release, said, “He was a visionary who understood the importance of using technology to improve government transparency and accessibility. We had a great relationship and I will truly miss him.”
Visitation will be at the Manatee County Courthouse Historical Courtroom 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 8. A memorial service will follow the same day at 2 p.m. at the Bradenton Municipal Auditorium, 1005 First Ave. W., Bradenton. The family suggests memorial contributions in honor of Mr. Shore’s passion for preserving the history of Manatee County be made in support of a matching grant initiative to the Florida Maritime Museum, P.O. Box 100, Cortez FL 34215. Griffith-Cline Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be made online at www.GriffithCline.com.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Carol; daughters: Cindy Shore and husband Brad Coats, Donna Western and husband Mark, Elizabeth Shore and Debra Shore Quinlan and husband Tim; grandchildren Ford and Fletcher Western; Adah Pearl and Oliver Quinlan, and Ian and Charlotte Coats.