Walter Shaw

Walter Max Shaw Obituary

Walter Max Shaw, age 88 of Sun Prairie, WI passed away on Wednesday, October 13 at Badger Prairie Health Center in Verona, WI. He was born on June 4, 1933, in Irvington, NJ the son of Walter L. and Genevieve (Perkins) Shaw. The family moved to Chicago in 1944 when Walt was 7 years old, where Walt completed his early education and graduated from Taft High School. From there Walt attended the University of Illinois, graduating in 1955 with a degree in agriculture.

In 1954 he married Karen Ruth England and the couple had 4 children Eric, Eva, Toby, and Angie. After college Walt joined the U.S. Marine Corps where he served honorably until 1958 and then moved with his family to Lodi, WI. While in Lodi, he taught high school chemistry and biology and coached baseball and curling and served as assistant football coach. He continued his career first as a spice chemist at Oscar Mayer and then as an environmental chemist for RMT. In 1996, he was able to combine his passion for the environment with his enjoyment of working with children when he began working as a naturalist for the U.W. Arboretum in Madison. Among other duties he led tours and activities for school groups. He did this work until 2013 when he was age 81. Also in 1996, Walt married his beloved wife Carole, with whom he shared many adventures including trips to Alaska, Italy and the New Jersey Shore, and hobbies such as gardening, ushering at the Overture Center, and visiting nursing homes with his dog, Gracie. Walt was also active in the Sun Prairie Civic Theater, where he built sets, directed performances, and appeared in many productions. His final days were spent in the caring environment of Badger Prairie Health Center. The family is grateful for the dignified care he received there.

Walt is survived by his wife Carole and his 4 children Eric (Terry), Eva, Toby, and Angie (Craig) and 3 stepchildren, Chuck Van, Linda Cerling and Melissa Van. He is also survived by 6 grandchildren, Lauren, Maddie, Carson, Connor, Keaton, and Zoe, and 9 step-grandchildren Maggie, Brandon, Ellie, Jordyn, Sean, Zach, Jamie, Samantha, and Caleb, as well as 4 step great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Arline Di Sabato and Jean Losch and his stepson John Van.

A memorial service will be held at Cress Funeral Home, 1310 Emerald Terrace, Sun Prairie, WI on Friday, November 5, 2021, at 11:00 am, visitation will be held from 10:00 am until the time of service. Please use link to view live stream of service: https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=2ce9c80c-bd8c-4203-8515-d5c5c704494e

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Walt’s memory to the U.W. Arboretum (Donate | UW Arboretum https://arboretum.wisc.edu or the Badger Prairie Health Center Recreation fund (1100 East Verona Avenue, Verona, WI 53593).