William Shaw

William Bentley Shaw of Cross Plains, Wisconsin, passed away January 15, 2019 at age 92 at his home in Milestone Memory Care from the accumulated complications of mixed dementia and cardiovascular disease. His daughter Beth was at his side.

Bill was born August 22, 1926 in Fort Sill Oklahoma to Isaac Bentley and Laura Agnes Nye Shaw. He had two older sisters, Maureen; who died in infancy before he was born, and Vivian. Both of his parents served in France in WWI, his father as an ordnance specialist and his mother as an operating room nurse. His father's career took the family to West Point, New York in 1932, where he was an ordnance instructor at the Academy. In 1939 the family moved to Ontario California, and then to Benicia, where Bill graduated from high school Valedictorian. Bill was active in the Boy Rangers and Scouts, and played trumpet and tuba in the band, in numerous solo recitals, and in the Rose Bowl parade in 1944.

Bill graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1948, with a degree in Civil Engineering, and worked for the State of California Water Resources for many years in Ontario and Sacramento California. In 1958 he won a prestigious fellowship to Harvard and earned his Master of Public Administration. His career took him around the globe, and he worked in Dacca, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) from 1963 to 1966, for the Panama Canal Company from 1966 to 1968, and in Tehran Iran from 1968 to 1970. In 1970 he returned to work for the Panama Canal Company as Assistant Chief and then Chief of the Meteorological Branch of the Engineering Division. He also spent six months as a consultant for an engineering firm in Palembang, Indonesia, in 1978. He retired from the Panama Canal in 1988 with 20 years of service.

While in Sacramento, he met Marie Mitchell and they were married in 1958. After they returned from Boston, his son Karl and then his daughter, Beth, were born. In 1963 the family moved to Dacca, East Pakistan then to Gamboa, Canal Zone, Panama, to Tehran Iran, and then to Balboa, Canal Zone, Panama. After retirement, they moved to Dallas, Texas. Following Marie's death in 1996, he married Nancy Hansell in 1998.

Bill enjoyed traveling and visiting historical places. He was active in Scouting, and was a Boy Scout troop leader for five years. He particularly enjoyed camping and was especially proud of his troops' performance on their annual 50-miler excursions. His troop also participated in the eco-rescue reforestation project of Sosa Hill in Panama. He also enjoyed fishing, especially with his son, Karl. Besides scouting, he and Marie enjoyed playing bridge, entertaining, and square dancing.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Isaac B. and Laura Nye Shaw, his sisters, Vivian Shaw Groza and Maureen Shaw, his wife Marie Mitchell Shaw, son Karl D. Shaw, and wife Nancy Hansell Shaw. He is survived by his daughter Cynthia E. (Beth) Bird, granddaughter Jennifer Bird, grandson Christopher Bird, and son-in-law Ian Bird.

The family would like to express their thanks and gratitude to the staff of Milestone Memory Care of Cross Plains for their diligent and compassionate care of Bill, to the families and residents for their many acts of kindness, and to Agrace Hospice which made it possible for Bill to spend his final days in dignity and comfort.

Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 26th, 2019, at Milestone Senior Living 1870 Market Street, Cross Plains Wisconsin 53528