Emory A. Shearouse

2005 Effingham County Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

Emory A. Shearouse was born in Guyton, Georgia on September 8, 1911 and lived in Effingham County all of his life.  He was seventy-seven years old when passed away on April 10, 1989.  He fell in love with a young Tennessee girl by the name of Dorothy Hughes whom he married and they had two children, Barbara J. Neidlinger and Harry H. Shearouse.  He graduated from Effingham Academy in 1929.  He was an active member of the Springfield United Methodist Church where he served as treasurer for fifty years. The church was a very important part of his life and he served on various other committees there during his lifetime.  He was a charter member of the Springfield Lions Club and served with the Springfield Volunteer Fire Department.

He is probably best remembered by those who knew him as a banker.  He worked for the Exchange Bank of Springfield later becoming the Citizens and Southern Bank of Effingham for forty years. 

He is also remember by many for his contributions to sports in Effingham County.  As a young man, he played baseball, basketball, and tennis and loved to fish and hunt.  Later in life he became an avid golfer.  He made the statement numerous times that he knew heaven would have golf course just like the Augusta National for him to enjoy.  He, like many of us, had a love for the competition of athletics.

He and one of his best friends Mac Marchman, were always leaders in financially supporting sports in Effingham County.  Many times these two paid for the lights and other overhead expenses at Mo-Ed Stadium for the Effingham Crackers baseball team.  Mr. Emory was instrumental in supporting the little league baseball program when it was formed in the mid 1950’s.  He dearly loved to talk about any kind of ball that could be hit, thrown, bounced, putted or kicked.