Salem Academy and College recently lost two of its most loyal supporters with the passing of former Board of Trustees members John G. Medlin, Jr., and Eleanor Sue “E. Sue” Cox Shore A’37 C’41.
Medlin, who served as CEO of Wachovia bank for many years, was a well-respected leader in the banking industry. Under his leadership, Wachovia grew exponentially, accumulating $35 billion in assets by the time Medlin stepped down as CEO in 1993.
Medlin also served his community and Salem with the same energy and dedication that he brought to his banking career. He served on the Salem Academy and College Board of Trustees and he also gave generously to the school, funding the prestigious Sisters Merit Scholarship at Salem Academy. The scholarship, which pays full tuition, room and board for four years, has afforded many deserving young women the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of an Academy education.
A loyal alumna of both the Academy and College, Shore (known affectionately as “E. Sue”) was a longtime supporter of Salem, giving both time and treasure generously year after year to the institution. Shore served on Salem’s Board of Trustees, as well as with the Friends of the Salem College Library and the Alumnae Association, for a number of years.
An English major at Salem, Shore worked for several years during World War II as a reporter at The Twin City Sentinel in Winston-Salem. After leaving that job to start a family with her husband, Dick, Shore stayed active in the community serving at Home Moravian Church, with the Emma Bahnson Service League, the Junior League of Winston-Salem and other varied organizations.
Both Medlin and Shore left their indelible marks on the Salem community and their legacy of philanthropy, loyalty and leadership will live on for many years to come.
