TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Raymond P. Rorie, Jr. 1920-2019 Educator, WWII Veteran
of Educators and Charlotte Mecklen- burg Retired Teachers Association. He was initiated into the Charlotte (NC) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi on February 28, 1953. During his 66 years of membership, he worked with various committees and served as Keeper of Exchequer for six years. He became a Life Member of Kappa Alpha Psi in 1974. Brother Rorie became Deacon Board Chair at First Baptist Church West and taught Sunday school. He has received numerous awards/honors and accom- plishments – the Unselfish Service for Others and Concern for Youth Award from Charlotte Urban League, Distin- guished Service Award for Principals (Westerly Hills Elementary), Certified Guidance Counselor (UNC Chapel Hill) and Principal’s Certificate. Brother Raymond P. Rorie, Jr. is sur- vived by his wife of sixty-four (64) years, Bernice Gaskin Rorie; his daughter Rita (James) Dawkins; three grandchil- dren, Jayson, Jarrett and Jada Dawkins; nephew, Marvin (Annette) Rorie; great nephews, Morgan and Madison Rorie; sister-in-law, Jeanne Rorie Ross and a host of devoted family and friends. Bernadean Showers 1929–2020 Educator, Coach, U.S. Army Bernadean Showers (Talla-
and Alabama State University. He also proudly served his country for two years in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Showers worked for 30 years for Syl- acauga (AL) City Schools, where he was an industrial arts teacher at East Highland School for 29 years and a math teacher at Sylacauga High School for one year. He was a varsity basketball coach and assistant football coach at East Highland, for several years. During his career, he was recognized as the Out- standing Industrial Arts Teacher of Ala- bama, served on the committee to write the Industrial Arts Curriculum Guide for the state of Alabama, and served as an evaluator for the UAB Industrial Arts Curriculum. After retirement from edu- cation in 1985, Showers worked for the Sylacauga Housing Authority, Talladega College, and Marvin's Hardware Supply. Affiliated with the Talladega (AL) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi®, Showers was also member of the Ala- bama Education Association, National Education Association (NEA), Industrial Arts Association of Alabama, Sylacauga Teachers Association, and Tuskegee Alumni Association. He was a member of the St. Thomas United Method- ist Church in Sylacauga, AL where he served as a class leader, Sunday School teacher, and chairman of several com- mittees. In 1977, he was honored with the Alumni Merit Award, presented by the Southeast Region of the Tuskegee Institute National Alumni Association. In 2019 at their annual scholarship banquet, Tuskegee University Alumni Association of Talladega County recog- nized Showers as a "Living Legend." Brother Bernadean Showers was preceded in death by his parents, A.C. and Rejetta Showers; brothers, Donald Showers, Ernest Showers, Bennie Lee Showers, and Waverly Showers; and grandson, Jason Showers. He is sur- vived by sons, André and Angelo Show- ers; daughter, April (Shannon) Durel; sisters, Annie Bell Northern and Eleanor Cummings; grandchildren, Danielle (Michael) Taylor, Justin Showers, Bri- anna Childers and Liliana Durel; two great-grandchildren, Makayla Showers
Raymond P. Rorie, Jr., an esteemed educator, entered Chapter Invisible on December 23, 2019 in Charlotte, NC. Brother Rorie was born in Anson County to the late Raymond and
Susie Hoffman Rorie. Brother Rorie attended Elizabeth City State University for one year before enrolling at North Carolina A&T State University. While attending NC A&T State University, he was drafted into the Army which interrupted his studies. He served in WWII (370 th Infantry, 92 nd Buffalo Division) and was honorably discharged in 1945. Brother Rorie re- turned to NC A&T State University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. He later received a Master of Science in Public Health Education from New York University. He began his career as a caregiver at New York Hospital where he provided treatment and care for John L. Lewis coal miners. He later returned to Char- lotte and began a career as a respected educator. He taught Science and Health at Second Ward High School, was a Guidance Counselor at J. H. Gunn and Myers Park High Schools and became Director of Teenage Parent Program for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). Brother Rorie served as Principal at J. M. Smith Junior High and Westerly Hills Elementary. Additionally, he taught at Carver College which later become Central Piedmont Community College. Brother Rorie retired from Westerly Hills Elementary in 1982. Brother Rorie was appointed to the Mecklenburg County Board of Health in 1968 and was the first African American appointee. He served on the YMCA Board of Charlotte and the Presbyterian Youth Summit Board. His professional affiliations include the NC Association
dega (AL) Alumni 1988) entered the Chapter Invisible on Sunday, April 5, 2020, at Coosa
Valley Medical Center Nurs-
ing Home at the age of 90. Bernadean Showers was born on August 19, 1929, in Bessemer, AL to A.C. and Rejetta Showers. He attended Roosevelt Junior High School and then graduated from Fairfield (AL) Industrial High School. He earned his B.S. degree from Tuske- gee Institute (now Tuskegee University), a Master of Arts degree from the Uni- versity of Alabama in Birmingham, and further studied at Ball State University,
146 | SPRING 2020 ♦ THE JOURNAL
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