Longtime Cabarrus County commissioner, former school board chair dies

Cabarrus County Commissioner Lynn Shue, a longtime public servant whose career spanned decades in education and county government, died Wednesday afternoon, his family said. He was 71.

Shue served for decades in elected office, beginning on the Cabarrus County Board of Education, where he served several terms and served as chairman. He later joined the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners in 2014. A family statement on his death said Shue’s leadership on the school board helped guide the county’s educational system “through critical growth and change.”

A statement from Steve Morris, former county commission chair and Concord’s mayor-elect, said Shue’s public life was defined by faith, perseverance and service to others. The Shue family asked Morris to serve as their spokesman as they mourn his loss.

Morris said Shue exemplified integrity, compassion and steadfast commitment to Cabarrus County throughout his decades of service.

“Commissioner Lynn Shue’s passing marks the loss of a deeply respected public servant and community leader,” Morris said.

The statement described Shue as calm and thoughtful in his approach to government, with a focus on stability and sound governance that “contributed significantly to the county’s success and reputation as a model for others across North Carolina.”

Morris said Shue showed extraordinary resilience in his later years.

He received a heart transplant and later a kidney transplant, recovered with what the statement called “remarkable strength,” and continued to serve the community with “energy and purpose.” Shue missed some commission meetings or attended virtually over the past year, as he received routine kidney dialysis. Even as health challenges affected his mobility, he remained deeply engaged, “participating in discussions, staying informed, and contributing meaningfully to decision-making,” the statement said.

In April Shue told The Charlotte Observer then-commissioner and current State Sen. Chris Measmer intentionally set a meeting during the time of his treatment so he would be unable to vote on the matter of Measmer’s replacement. Shue was a registered Republican but at times broke with his party on county board votes, including when he declined to support the Cabarrus GOP’s recommended candidate to fill Measmer’s vacant seat.

“His faith in God guided his actions and decisions,” Morris said. “He was known for always putting others first, never making decisions out of personal interest, and maintaining unwavering integrity in every aspect of his life.”

In a Facebook post Wednesday, Morris wrote that “Cabarrus County lost a good man today.”

Morris said Shue wasn’t in public service for the spotlight but for the people, and that over ten years serving together, Shue was always willing to sit down, talk things through and find common ground.

Under a state law passed earlier this year, vacancies on the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners are now filled by the executive committee of the departing commissioner’s political party — rather than by a vote of the remaining commissioners.

This story was originally published November 5, 2025 at 6:03 PM.