The late Rose Shure was born in Dubuque, Iowa in 1921. She was a first-generation immigrant whose parents spoke no English. "She grew up extremely poor in Dubuque," her niece, Barbara Levie said. But her parents were hard workers. While her mother cared for the children, her father bought and sold rags and scrap metal from a horse-drawn cart to provide for their family.
Rose’s parents understood the value of education and encouraged all their children to go to college, work hard, and live the American Dream. Rose did just that. She worked her way through college and earned her business degree in the mid-1940s. She then went on to become an executive assistant at the Shure Brothers, Inc. where she met her soon-to-be husband Sidney Shure.
Shure was the largest maker of phonograph cartridges in the country. According to Barbara, “The Company was always color blind and hired solely based on merit. [Rose and Sidney] were always ahead of their time. They were the salt of the earth and they knew they had been fortunate and wanted to provide that opportunity to others.” Rose never retired, ultimately becoming chairman of the company founded by her husband after his death in 1995. She served as chairman of the board until she passed away in 2016.
Rose cared deeply about people and especially those less fortunate than herself. Growing up poor, she knew that the right opportunity paired with hard work could change the course of someone’s life. She was a supporter of many philanthropic organizations that mirrored her beliefs and work ethic. She supported Freedom from Hunger, now united with Grameen Foundation, for 23 years prior to her passing, then left a generous bequest to sustain the work she loved in her will. Rose has touched countless lives with her generosity.