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Margaret Ann Cartner Shew, of Mocksville, entered the gates of Heaven on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023.

Margaret was born the oldest of six children, born on Dec. 15, 1933 to Claude Wilson and Louise Gaither Cartner. She was the oldest grandchild on both the Gaither and Cartner sides of her family. This birth position, along with being raised by a strong mother, prepared her for the destiny of serving in the matriarchal role of her family for many years.

Margaret was a 1951 graduate of Cool Springs School.  She married Paul Shew on Oct.  8, 1955, celebrating 61 years of marriage before his passing in 2017.

Living a life of service and leadership, Margaret was a member of Salem United Methodist Church since the age of 11. She served as a youth leader, children’s Sunday school teacher, choir member, education coordinator, building fund treasurer, and delegate to the Western North Carolina Annual Conference, where, in 1991, she was recognized as the Lay Person of the Year. Being a member of the Salem United Methodist Women for 67 years was where her passion for serving her Lord shined. She served as president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer at various times.  Additionally, she served on the Lexington District United Methodist Women’s Team for 13 years, where she served as the Davie area chairperson, vice-president, and president. Margaret was also a member of the Davie County Mission Board, having served as secretary and treasurer.

Similarly, Margaret served her community through her memberships and office positions with various clubs and organizations such as the Kappa Extension Cooperative Association, Davie County Extension Cooperative Association, Northwest Extension Cooperative Association, N.C. Extension Cooperative Association, County Line Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, Davie Academy Ruritan Ladies Auxiliary, Woodmen Life Fraternal Organization, and as a cultured member of the Pearls of Empowerment (Women’s Giving Circle through the Davie County Community Foundation, started in 2010).  On Nov. 12, 1976, Margaret was recognized as the WFMY-TV Personality of the Week for her volunteer services to her community.

In work, Margaret was the secretary and bookkeeper for C.C. Sanfords Department Store from 1951-1956.  After raising her three daughters, she worked as a substitute teacher for Cool Springs School and Davie County Schools for a short time before being hired as the Assistant Director of the Davie County Board of Elections in 1977.  A year later, she was sworn in as the Director, where she held that title for 33 years.  Margaret was a Certified Elections Registration Administrator, one of the first 17 Certified NC Elections Administrators and one of the first 77 nationally. She was a member of the Executive Committee of the NC Directors Association since 1978, serving as honors, treasurer, vice-president, president, parliamentarian, and chaplain. On June 30, 2011, Margaret was honored with a reception celebrating her 33 years of service as the Director of Elections to the Davie County Board of Elections. At that time, she received a Resolution from the Town of Mocksville presented by Mayor Francis Slate; a Resolution from the Davie County Commissioners presented by Robert Wisecarver, commissioner; a Resolution from the Davie County Board of Elections presented by Selma Suiter, board member; a Resolution from the State Board of Elections presented by Don Wright, State Board Attorney; a letter from Representative Julia Howard; a letter from Senator Kay Hagan; a wall clock from the Davie County Board of Elections presented by Tabatha Parrish, Selma Suiter, and Hank Van Hoy; and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine presented by Hank Van Hoy.

Margaret was preceded in death by: her husband of 61 years, Paul Shew; brothers, Tom Cartner and Lee Cartner; and nephew, Matt Cartner.

Those left to cherish her memory are: her 3 daughters, Paula Allen (Dean), Darlene Fuller (Phil), and Teresa Santis (Johnny); those who affectionately called her Grandmother, granddaughters, Jessica Allen (Nick Cash), Julie Holt (Jamey), Stephanie Shoffner, Courtney Carney (Michael), Elizabeth and Rebekah Santis; grandson, Chad Fuller (Eleanor); great-grandchildren, Winn and Silas Fuller, Fuller Kate and Seger Holt, Weston Shoffner, and Asher Carney; a sister, Jenny Turner (Tommy); brothers, Mickey Cartner (Kathy) and Edgar Cartner (Sarah); sister-in-law, Dorothy Shew; and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

The family would like to express special thanks to her caregivers for the past three years, especially Marjorie Smoot, for devoting her time, night and day, to taking care of her.

Her celebration of life service will be conducted at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 11 at Salem United Methodist Church with Pastor Jesse Teal officiating.  The service will be available to view on the funeral home website.  Interment will follow in the church cemetery with Woodmen Rites.  Afterwards, a reception will be held in the Family Life Center to allow friends to speak with individual family members. The family invite friends to come by Lambert Funeral Home from ­11 a.m.-7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 10 to pay their respects.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to: Davie Community Foundation, with memo: Paul and Margaret Shew Family Fund, PO Box 546 Mocksville, NC, 27028.

Online condolences: www.lambertfuneralhomenc.com.