Schoolteacher who lived to 101 piled small amounts of stock for years, left a big donation to Hope for Haitians

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our mobile app

ROCKFORD — Fern Shore always had a knack for stretching modest resources to the fullest extent during her 101 years of life.

The former schoolteacher often displayed that skill while raising eight children with her husband, Wayne, in Sterling.

“I’ve seen my mother do a lot with very little,” said Laurie Brandenburg, the sixth of the couple’s eight kids. “She could turn a pound of hamburger into a whole meal for 10 people.”

Shore, who died about 11 months ago, is still displaying that knack. Only this time it’s not with hamburgers, but with a hamburger maker’s stock.

Shore slowly accumulated 741 shares of McDonald’s stock over the years, and she has willed it to a local charity that works to help Haitians access clean water, housing, food, education and medical supplies.

Hope for Haitians announced Fern’s donation on Wednesday, saying the stock was valued at $220,000 at the time of the transfer. The stock was valued at $313.71 per share on Wednesday.

“She earmarked it many, many years ago and allowed the dividends to reinvest and grow,” said Chris Weickert, executive director of Hope for Haitians.

She also donated a collection of 32 porcelain dolls to the charity to be auctioned off to benefit Haitians in need.

“A lot of times people think, ‘I have to be rich to be a philanthropist,’ and that’s not true,” Weickert said. “Fern demonstrated just as a simple schoolteacher that making a small dedicated effort through time has some really transformative impact.”

Shore’s modest lifestyle was rooted in her upbringing. She grew up on a farm with no running water and limited electricity. She lived through food rationing during the Great Depression, which started when she was just 6.

The graduate of Northern Illinois University earned $4 a day, roughly $80 a month, in her first teaching job, her daughter said. Shore taught in Sycamore, DeKalb, and eventually back in her hometown of Sterling.

She had long held a philosophy of making small contributions to help people in need, whether it was setting aside $1 week for less fortunate families, baking cookies to raise funds or requesting donations in place of gifts for her 100th birthday. She also made contributions to Hope for Haitians over the course of more than 20 years, helping support the building of 17 homes in the Carribbean country. She helped fund the construction of the first house on an installment plan, Brandenburg said.

“Fern’s life was a testament to the idea that consistent generosity, no matter the size, can create extraordinary change,” Weickert said. “Her final gift will touch thousands of lives, providing safe housing, clean water, education and opportunity for Haitian families for years to come.”

Brandenburg said her mother provided for their family, but she wasn’t much to splurge on herself. The only time she left the country was in 1998 for a trip to Haiti.

“When she visited Haiti, she was deeply moved by the families living without safe water or secure homes,” Brandenburg said. “She understood their struggle because she had lived through similar challenges in her own youth. That trip made her commitment unshakable.”

Shore became one of Hope for Haitians earliest supporters when the nonprofit was formed in 2001.

“From our earliest days, Fern was encouraging, supporting and giving,” said Tom Lorden, co-founder of Hope for Haitians. “She was part of every effort we made and brought her heart for service into everything she did.”

Shore died on Sept. 21, 2024. She was predeceased by her husband and four of her children. Her legacy continues through 21 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren, four step-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.

Part of Shore’s final gift will be used for immediate projects in housing, clean water and education. The remainder will be held in an endowment for future generations.

“Her plan will allow her support to continue long beyond her lifespan, as though 101 years wasn’t enough,” Weickert said.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas