Carlos Showers, Black Mountain alderman and 'gentle giant,' dies at 64

BLACK MOUNTAIN - Carlos L. Showers, longtime alderman and community leader, died Jan. 27 after an extended illness at the age of 64. 

Showers had served as alderman since 2009. He was the second African American alderman in Black Mountain's history, according to a city release.  

"Carlos was known for his dedication to public service and appreciation of those who serve for the benefit of the Town," the release said. "We share the sorrow of his beloved Black Mountain community at his passing. We offer our deepest condolences to his family in this difficult time." 

Showers announced a diagnosis of stage 4 pancreatic cancer in an Oct. 14, 2019, Board of Aldermen meeting. 

More:Carlos Showers vows to fight after life-changing diagnosis

Showers vowed to continue his duties as alderman while undergoing treatment. 

“I am not stepping down,” he said at the Oct. 14 meeting. “That’s not going to happen; I’m in it to win it.”

More:Residents set up GoFundMe to assist Black Mountain alderman battling pancreatic cancer

'A gentle giant'

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Showers graduated from Mars Hill College (now Mars Hill University), where he played college basketball. 

Colleagues and family members agree Showers was a gentle giant — he was 6 feet 11 inches tall — and a skilled listener.

"He was always somebody to talk to and just listen to you no matter what," son Alex Showers, 28, remembered. "He'd never judge a book by its cover. He'd take time to read it first." 

"He was never judgmental," Alex Showers added.

"He looked past people's flaws," daughter Kisha Showers-Griffin, 38, said. 

That natural faith in others served him well in his decades as a social worker, family said. Showers worked at the Swannanoa Valley Youth Development Center, also called the Juvenile Evaluation Center in Swannanoa, for nearly 30 years before it closed in 2011. 

He also worked with children at the Presbyterian Home for Children and a boys home in Fletcher, wife Sheila Showers said, and coached basketball for Black Mountain Parks and Recreation for about eight years.

Local leadership 

Growing up in newly-desegregated Alabama inspired an enduring passion for activism and political involvement, family explained.

"He was always an advocate for the rights of the downtrodden," Sheila Showers said. 

After an unsuccessful bid for alderman in 1995, Showers was elected to the board in 2009. 

"He was very active as a board member and he had a special relationship with the youth," said Carl Bartlett, former Black Mountain mayor with whom Showers occasionally butted heads over political matters. "I think that's where his heart was. ... He will certainly be missed by the community." 

It wasn't always easy being the second black alderman in Black Mountain's history, Sheila Showers said. 

"That didn't sit well with some of the folks that had always gotten their way," Sheila Showers said. About 90% of residents of the town of Black Mountain are white, according to 2017 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

"He had even received some death threats," Sheila Showers added. "But in the last few years, people have rallied behind him because they saw he wanted the best for everyone." 

Showers was a mentor to many and "encouraged other people to take part in local politics," his wife said. "They would call and ask him for advice. He'd say, 'Why is everybody always calling me?' Now they see you as one of the elders of the community." 

In the summer of 2017, Showers announced he would not seek a third term. But later that year, he was appointed alderman by the board to fill the seat vacated when Don Collins was elected mayor that November. 

"He was not from Black Mountain (originally), but you couldn't find anybody who's more concerned about the town," Collins told the Citizen Times. "It was an honor to work with him. I'm sure I can speak for the entire board." 

"He was a unique human being, and a kinder, gentler soul you couldn't have," Collins added. 

Memorial service 

Showers donated his body to medical science, his wife said.

"Even with his passing, he's continuing to help people," Sheila Showers said. 

A service in Carlos Showers' honor will be held Feb. 1 at Mills Chapel Baptist Church, located at 328 Cragmont Road in Black Mountain. The family said they will receive friends beginning at 1 p.m. and the service will follow at 2 p.m. 

"We would like people to share thoughts, funny stories (and) memories on cards that we will provide so we can compile a scrapbook," Sheila Showers said. 

The family plans to establish a scholarship fund in Showers' honor. Reach out to Sheila Showers for details on how to contribute in lieu of flowers.