SAVANNA—Mildred "Jimmie" Shores, 98, of Savanna, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, at Allure of Mount Carroll Nursing Home.
A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Savanna. Visitation will take place from 9-10:40 a.m. prior to the Mass at Law Jones Funeral Home in Savanna. Burial will occur at St. John's Catholic Cemetery in Savanna. Family and friends are invited to share in Mildred's life at www.lawjonesfuneralhome.com.
Jimmie was born Aug. 12, 1924, in Savanna, the daughter of Michael and Barbara (Spudich) Collins. She was born without any hair, and upon seeing her, her father commented that she looked like Jimmy, the bald farmer down the road. Thus, her nickname "Jimmie" was born that day, too.
Jimmie was the 10th child out of 12, so she grew up with a great respect for family, and a firm grasp of work ethic and accountability. While in high school she worked for her sister's restaurant, Collins Eat Shop. Each day she would arrive at 4 a.m. to make lunches for the Army Depot workers before heading off to school.
Jimmie graduated from Savanna High School with the class of 1942 and went to work for the local power company, but soon found herself working for the Savanna Hospital. With America fully plunged into war across the globe, many young nurses were serving the war effort. So Jimmie, with no formal medical training, was recruited by the local hospital to be a surgical assistant, a job she did with a full heart and an iron stomach.
On Nov. 1, 1947, Jimmie married Harold "Buck" Shores. They would go on to have two sons and celebrate 67 years of marriage before his passing. Jimmie was a devoted wife and mother, and served the Savanna School District for decades, most notably as chief payroll clerk.
Jimmie was a woman of faith. She was a proud member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, devoting her time to the Catholic Women group and the church choir. She was also quite the sporting gal. In her younger years she enjoyed bowling leagues and she was an avid Chicago Bulls fan, but her true love was golf. She was a member of the Palisades Ladies Golf League, and she and Buck would play every chance they had. For years, they would spend their winters in Florida, playing round after round. And if you're wondering if she could hold her own on the links, just know that she had three career holes-in-one!
As she aged and her athletic exploits began to drift into the past, Jimmie and Buck found great joy in traveling, especially to visit their son Paul (their other son, David, was taken too soon). When at home, Jimmie would tend to her flower gardens and appreciate the many birds that would pay her visits. She was fortunate enough to thrive in her own home until the age of 98, and was proud to have passed her driving test this past August.
Jimmie will be dearly missed by her sister-in-law, Betty Collins, and is lovingly remembered by many nieces and nephews.
Jimmie is preceded in death by her husband, Buck; sons, Paul Shores and David Shores; parents, Michael and Barbara; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Burrell and Maude Shores; and five sisters and six brothers.
