1911
John
2009
John D. Shaw
July 29, 1911 — February 1, 2009
John Dyer Shaw, 97, of 109 Oak Rd, Concord, died peacefully at his home on Sunday, February 1, 2009.
He was born on July 29, 1911 in Groton Massachusetts, the son of Carlton Anderson Shaw and Julia Richards Shaw. He was a graduate of the Loomis School and the Wentworth Institute of Technology where he developed his interest in engineering.
He was a man who loved his work, starting as a machinist at Peterson and Nevel, a sheet metal company, then advancing to a plant manager during World War II. After the war, he was a sales representative selling gerotors for W.H. Nichols Co. in Waltham. He believed in his product and was great with people. In the early sixties, he founded Browne and Shaw Company with his partner Secor Browne. Soon after, they founded Brown and Shaw Research. His love of people and fascination with engineering paved the way for a long career that he loved. He was still working at the age of 75.
He believed in contributing to the community in which he lived and served on the Concord Commission of Road and Bridges from 1954-1974. He twice served as its chair. Later in life he was an ardent supporter of Emerson Hospital and volunteered there up until one month before his death. He transported cancer patients for therapy and coordinated the schedule for driving during the last ten years giving that up just a year ago.
He was also a man who loved to have fun. He loved games and excelled as an athlete. He was captain of his baseball and soccer teams at Loomis where he also played hockey. He loved and excelled at tennis and squash as an adult. He was one of the founding members of the Concord Sailfish Association that continues to this day. He started skiing when there were no lifts and skied both in the west and in Europe with his wife and family. Later in life, he and his wife shared a passion for golf together. Once again, traveling the world in this pursuit. To celebrate his 90th birthday, he walked 18 holes, no cart needed for this man.
He was also a man who loved ideas and how things worked. He was always tinkering. His fascination with engineering resulted in numerous inventions from the Rube Goldberg trashcan opener under the sink to one of the first safety ski bindings. In his nineties, he conceived an idea for a "hospital patient transfer system" to comfortably and safely move patients from a hospital bed to a gurney, which was eventually developed and is currently in the early stages of marketing.
He loved people and remained socially active until the end. He was the oldest member of Concord's Social Circle, the oldest continually active social club in the United States. He loved golf and bridge not only because they were challenging games but because they were played with a group of people with whom you could socialize. He was a member of the Concord Country Club from 1946 until his death.
Lastly, he loved his wife and his family. He was a devoted father and dedicated to his wife, Mabel Louise Ritchie Shaw, who predeceased him in 1998. They were married 57 years. He was also pre-deceased by his sister Elizabeth Shaw Ticknor and his brother Henry Shaw. He is survived by his brother Robert Shaw of Ipswich Ma, his four children: Louise Shaw and her husband Fred Doctoroff of Rindge, NH, Betsy Shaw Bell and her husband David Bell of Wilton, CT, Janet Shaw and her husband Manny Perez of Rowayton, CT and John D. Shaw Jr. and his wife Kimberly Bailey-Shaw of Gardiner, ME. He has eight grandchildren and four great grand children.
Memorial Service held on Thursday, March 19 at 2:00 p.m. in The First Parish in Concord, 20 Lexington Road, Concord. There will be a celebration of his life held on May 17th at 2 PM in the backyard of his residence at 109 Oak Rd. Concord.
The family wants to thank the caregivers, Wanda, Ramona and Anne Marie, for their dedication to our father in his later years. You made him feel like a king. He loved you too.
Arrangements under the direction of Funeral Director - Glenn D. Burlamachi
CONCORD FUNERAL HOME
74 Belknap St.
Concord, MA 01742
www.concordfuneral.com
978/369-3388
Proud to be family owned, operated and occupied
He was born on July 29, 1911 in Groton Massachusetts, the son of Carlton Anderson Shaw and Julia Richards Shaw. He was a graduate of the Loomis School and the Wentworth Institute of Technology where he developed his interest in engineering.
He was a man who loved his work, starting as a machinist at Peterson and Nevel, a sheet metal company, then advancing to a plant manager during World War II. After the war, he was a sales representative selling gerotors for W.H. Nichols Co. in Waltham. He believed in his product and was great with people. In the early sixties, he founded Browne and Shaw Company with his partner Secor Browne. Soon after, they founded Brown and Shaw Research. His love of people and fascination with engineering paved the way for a long career that he loved. He was still working at the age of 75.
He believed in contributing to the community in which he lived and served on the Concord Commission of Road and Bridges from 1954-1974. He twice served as its chair. Later in life he was an ardent supporter of Emerson Hospital and volunteered there up until one month before his death. He transported cancer patients for therapy and coordinated the schedule for driving during the last ten years giving that up just a year ago.
He was also a man who loved to have fun. He loved games and excelled as an athlete. He was captain of his baseball and soccer teams at Loomis where he also played hockey. He loved and excelled at tennis and squash as an adult. He was one of the founding members of the Concord Sailfish Association that continues to this day. He started skiing when there were no lifts and skied both in the west and in Europe with his wife and family. Later in life, he and his wife shared a passion for golf together. Once again, traveling the world in this pursuit. To celebrate his 90th birthday, he walked 18 holes, no cart needed for this man.
He was also a man who loved ideas and how things worked. He was always tinkering. His fascination with engineering resulted in numerous inventions from the Rube Goldberg trashcan opener under the sink to one of the first safety ski bindings. In his nineties, he conceived an idea for a "hospital patient transfer system" to comfortably and safely move patients from a hospital bed to a gurney, which was eventually developed and is currently in the early stages of marketing.
He loved people and remained socially active until the end. He was the oldest member of Concord's Social Circle, the oldest continually active social club in the United States. He loved golf and bridge not only because they were challenging games but because they were played with a group of people with whom you could socialize. He was a member of the Concord Country Club from 1946 until his death.
Lastly, he loved his wife and his family. He was a devoted father and dedicated to his wife, Mabel Louise Ritchie Shaw, who predeceased him in 1998. They were married 57 years. He was also pre-deceased by his sister Elizabeth Shaw Ticknor and his brother Henry Shaw. He is survived by his brother Robert Shaw of Ipswich Ma, his four children: Louise Shaw and her husband Fred Doctoroff of Rindge, NH, Betsy Shaw Bell and her husband David Bell of Wilton, CT, Janet Shaw and her husband Manny Perez of Rowayton, CT and John D. Shaw Jr. and his wife Kimberly Bailey-Shaw of Gardiner, ME. He has eight grandchildren and four great grand children.
Memorial Service held on Thursday, March 19 at 2:00 p.m. in The First Parish in Concord, 20 Lexington Road, Concord. There will be a celebration of his life held on May 17th at 2 PM in the backyard of his residence at 109 Oak Rd. Concord.
The family wants to thank the caregivers, Wanda, Ramona and Anne Marie, for their dedication to our father in his later years. You made him feel like a king. He loved you too.
Arrangements under the direction of Funeral Director - Glenn D. Burlamachi
CONCORD FUNERAL HOME
74 Belknap St.
Concord, MA 01742
www.concordfuneral.com
978/369-3388
Proud to be family owned, operated and occupied
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