Alton C. Shorey

Alton Clyde Shorey was born in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, on August 20, 1893.¹ He worked as a painter there until the early 1940s when he moved to Washington, D.C. and began working as a painter for the Public Buildings Administration.² In January 1942, Shorey’s wife Doris published a letter in a newspaper in Maine describing their life in D.C. during the early days of World War II. “We have experienced two blackouts,” Doris wrote, “and the most noticeable thing is the absolute quiet. Of course all traffic is stopped which really is something here. We have one large room which we are getting into condition for a raid shelter. It has only one window and that opens onto the fire escape. Black oil cloth shades are what most of the people use here. But other than these things . . . we go on as we did before.”³

In 1961, Shorey’s name appeared on a list of White House Residential Staff compiled during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. Shorey was identified as one of the painters on staff, who were responsible for painting the interior and exterior of the building as well as hanging paper, glazing windows, and finishing or refinishing historic furnishings, picture frames, doors, or other architectural details.⁴ This 1961 staff list is currently the only known White House record in which Shorey appears. As such, it is difficult to discern the duration of his service and whether he was assigned to the White House from the Public Buildings Administration or a full-time Residence staff member. 

Shorey passed away on November 15, 1962, and was buried in Rural Grove Cemetery in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine.⁵