Chester Lee Shaw, 88 passed peacefully in his sleep on October 17, 2015 at the Willow Care Nursing Home in Willow Springs, MO. He was born at home in Douglas County, Missouri on July 1, 1927 the son of William “Mac” and Bessie (Kile) Shaw.
Chester was a man of great determination and independence. He recently told his family that when he was 15 years old he decided that he would pack his bags and walk to town and find a job. He walked into town and met a farmer and so began his first job. He served in the Marine Corp and loved telling stories of his time in service. He also took joy in telling that he rode a ship to China, served his country, and rode it back home with a friend that he met in boot camp and served the entire time together. Until his retirement he was a mechanic for Charles Ward Trucking and then Cabool Lease. He always showed up an hour early for work to make his coffee and then off to his part of the shop to work in peace and quiet.
His hobbies were wood-working, reading and gardening. Many of his family and friends still have a wooden clock that he made them. Recently one of his nephews was saying that even though the second hand had fallen off he still had his clock that Uncle Chester had made him. He also loved to read western books and even when glaucoma took his eyesight he still loved to listen to westerns on tape. Along with his love of reading he was a fantastic gardener; his garden rarely had a weed and if one was brave enough to sprout up it didn't last long. But like with his reading he was no longer able to garden when he lost his sight. His eyesight may have been a challenge but he did not let that hold him back. After losing his beloved wife he was still very independent, he cared for himself, did his own laundry and even cooked for himself which he was very proud of.
He and his wife attended Providence Church until they were unable to. They met many good people there that became lifelong friends; one of which, Bill, called him daily until he had to move to the nursing home to say “Just wanted you to know that you have a friend.” It always made Chester smile and laugh and he looked forward to that call every day, even when Bill would call him at 1 a.m. He would laugh and say “Oh that Bill.”
Chester was not only blessed with a loving family but many wonderful friends. Benny and Marge Reed were always there for him and he always looked forward to them dropping by just to visit. He laughed because his cat, Sam was such “good buddies” with Benny. He always made sure that they were invited to Thanksgiving dinner; he enjoyed their company very much.
He was very close to his brother-in-law, Herb who made sure that if he wanted he was able to come to Sunday dinner. Herb would come get him and take him back home. Chester nicknamed him “The Taxi”. I am sure many good stories were told in those miles between those two houses.
Chester was preceded in death by his parents, William “Mac” Shaw and Bessie (Kile) Shaw; his loving wife, Velma Marie (McClenahan) Shaw and his son, Dale Lee Shaw. He is survived by his two sisters, Nellie Carnes and Doris Riggs; his daughter, Donna Kay Smith and her husband, Pete; his granddaughter, Sandra Kay Boykin and her husband, Mike; two grandsons, Alan Dale Shaw and Kevin Lee Shaw and many wonderful nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.
Chester was a man of great determination and independence. He recently told his family that when he was 15 years old he decided that he would pack his bags and walk to town and find a job. He walked into town and met a farmer and so began his first job. He served in the Marine Corp and loved telling stories of his time in service. He also took joy in telling that he rode a ship to China, served his country, and rode it back home with a friend that he met in boot camp and served the entire time together. Until his retirement he was a mechanic for Charles Ward Trucking and then Cabool Lease. He always showed up an hour early for work to make his coffee and then off to his part of the shop to work in peace and quiet.
His hobbies were wood-working, reading and gardening. Many of his family and friends still have a wooden clock that he made them. Recently one of his nephews was saying that even though the second hand had fallen off he still had his clock that Uncle Chester had made him. He also loved to read western books and even when glaucoma took his eyesight he still loved to listen to westerns on tape. Along with his love of reading he was a fantastic gardener; his garden rarely had a weed and if one was brave enough to sprout up it didn't last long. But like with his reading he was no longer able to garden when he lost his sight. His eyesight may have been a challenge but he did not let that hold him back. After losing his beloved wife he was still very independent, he cared for himself, did his own laundry and even cooked for himself which he was very proud of.
He and his wife attended Providence Church until they were unable to. They met many good people there that became lifelong friends; one of which, Bill, called him daily until he had to move to the nursing home to say “Just wanted you to know that you have a friend.” It always made Chester smile and laugh and he looked forward to that call every day, even when Bill would call him at 1 a.m. He would laugh and say “Oh that Bill.”
Chester was not only blessed with a loving family but many wonderful friends. Benny and Marge Reed were always there for him and he always looked forward to them dropping by just to visit. He laughed because his cat, Sam was such “good buddies” with Benny. He always made sure that they were invited to Thanksgiving dinner; he enjoyed their company very much.
He was very close to his brother-in-law, Herb who made sure that if he wanted he was able to come to Sunday dinner. Herb would come get him and take him back home. Chester nicknamed him “The Taxi”. I am sure many good stories were told in those miles between those two houses.
Chester was preceded in death by his parents, William “Mac” Shaw and Bessie (Kile) Shaw; his loving wife, Velma Marie (McClenahan) Shaw and his son, Dale Lee Shaw. He is survived by his two sisters, Nellie Carnes and Doris Riggs; his daughter, Donna Kay Smith and her husband, Pete; his granddaughter, Sandra Kay Boykin and her husband, Mike; two grandsons, Alan Dale Shaw and Kevin Lee Shaw and many wonderful nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.
Chester Lee Shaw, 88 passed peacefully in his sleep on October 17, 2015 at the Willow Care Nursing Home in Willow Springs, MO. He was born at home in Douglas County, Missouri on July 1, 1927 the son of William “Mac” and Bessie (Kile) Shaw.
Chester was a man of great determination and independence. He recently told his family that when he was 15 years old he decided that he would pack his bags and walk to town and find a job. He walked into town and met a farmer and so began his first job. He served in the Marine Corp and loved telling stories of his time in service. He also took joy in telling that he rode a ship to China, served his country, and rode it back home with a friend that he met in boot camp and served the entire time together. Until his retirement he was a mechanic for Charles Ward Trucking and then Cabool Lease. He always showed up an hour early for work to make his coffee and then off to his part of the shop to work in peace and quiet.
His hobbies were wood-working, reading and gardening. Many of his family and friends still have a wooden clock that he made them. Recently one of his nephews was saying that even though the second hand had fallen off he still had his clock that Uncle Chester had made him. He also loved to read western books and even when glaucoma took his eyesight he still loved to listen to westerns on tape. Along with his love of reading he was a fantastic gardener; his garden rarely had a weed and if one was brave enough to sprout up it didn't last long. But like with his reading he was no longer able to garden when he lost his sight. His eyesight may have been a challenge but he did not let that hold him back. After losing his beloved wife he was still very independent, he cared for himself, did his own laundry and even cooked for himself which he was very proud of.
He and his wife attended Providence Church until they were unable to. They met many good people there that became lifelong friends; one of which, Bill, called him daily until he had to move to the nursing home to say “Just wanted you to know that you have a friend.” It always made Chester smile and laugh and he looked forward to that call every day, even when Bill would call him at 1 a.m. He would laugh and say “Oh that Bill.”
Chester was not only blessed with a loving family but many wonderful friends. Benny and Marge Reed were always there for him and he always looked forward to them dropping by just to visit. He laughed because his cat, Sam was such “good buddies” with Benny. He always made sure that they were invited to Thanksgiving dinner; he enjoyed their company very much.
He was very close to his brother-in-law, Herb who made sure that if he wanted he was able to come to Sunday dinner. Herb would come get him and take him back home. Chester nicknamed him “The Taxi”. I am sure many good stories were told in those miles between those two houses.
Chester was preceded in death by his parents, William “Mac” Shaw and Bessie (Kile) Shaw; his loving wife, Velma Marie (McClenahan) Shaw and his son, Dale Lee Shaw. He is survived by his two sisters, Nellie Carnes and Doris Riggs; his daughter, Donna Kay Smith and her husband, Pete; his granddaughter, Sandra Kay Boykin and her husband, Mike; two grandsons, Alan Dale Shaw and Kevin Lee Shaw and many wonderful nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.
Chester was a man of great determination and independence. He recently told his family that when he was 15 years old he decided that he would pack his bags and walk to town and find a job. He walked into town and met a farmer and so began his first job. He served in the Marine Corp and loved telling stories of his time in service. He also took joy in telling that he rode a ship to China, served his country, and rode it back home with a friend that he met in boot camp and served the entire time together. Until his retirement he was a mechanic for Charles Ward Trucking and then Cabool Lease. He always showed up an hour early for work to make his coffee and then off to his part of the shop to work in peace and quiet.
His hobbies were wood-working, reading and gardening. Many of his family and friends still have a wooden clock that he made them. Recently one of his nephews was saying that even though the second hand had fallen off he still had his clock that Uncle Chester had made him. He also loved to read western books and even when glaucoma took his eyesight he still loved to listen to westerns on tape. Along with his love of reading he was a fantastic gardener; his garden rarely had a weed and if one was brave enough to sprout up it didn't last long. But like with his reading he was no longer able to garden when he lost his sight. His eyesight may have been a challenge but he did not let that hold him back. After losing his beloved wife he was still very independent, he cared for himself, did his own laundry and even cooked for himself which he was very proud of.
He and his wife attended Providence Church until they were unable to. They met many good people there that became lifelong friends; one of which, Bill, called him daily until he had to move to the nursing home to say “Just wanted you to know that you have a friend.” It always made Chester smile and laugh and he looked forward to that call every day, even when Bill would call him at 1 a.m. He would laugh and say “Oh that Bill.”
Chester was not only blessed with a loving family but many wonderful friends. Benny and Marge Reed were always there for him and he always looked forward to them dropping by just to visit. He laughed because his cat, Sam was such “good buddies” with Benny. He always made sure that they were invited to Thanksgiving dinner; he enjoyed their company very much.
He was very close to his brother-in-law, Herb who made sure that if he wanted he was able to come to Sunday dinner. Herb would come get him and take him back home. Chester nicknamed him “The Taxi”. I am sure many good stories were told in those miles between those two houses.
Chester was preceded in death by his parents, William “Mac” Shaw and Bessie (Kile) Shaw; his loving wife, Velma Marie (McClenahan) Shaw and his son, Dale Lee Shaw. He is survived by his two sisters, Nellie Carnes and Doris Riggs; his daughter, Donna Kay Smith and her husband, Pete; his granddaughter, Sandra Kay Boykin and her husband, Mike; two grandsons, Alan Dale Shaw and Kevin Lee Shaw and many wonderful nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.
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