James William Shaw, 73, Iola, passed away early Saturday, March 18, 2017, at Allen County Regional Hospital in Iola.
James was born June 13, 1943, in Wright County, Mo., to James William and Elsie Lucille (Scobee) Shaw. He grew up in the Mansfield, Mo., area, and enlisted in the Army, serving from 1961 to 1963. Later he moved to Iola in 1968, where he married Linda Sue Dunmire on July 10, 1975. Together they made their home in Iola, and raised eight children. He loved fishing, gardening, taking walks around the woods, farming, tinkering with old cars, and other projects. He was a fan of the Missouri Tigers basketball and football teams.
He is survived by his wife Linda of the home; sons James Jr. and wife Shawna, Iola, Russell Higgins Sr., Iola, and Patrick Thomas, Humboldt; daughters Charlotte Chase and husband Mike, Chanute, Alice Tuell and husband James, Monett, Mo., and Tracy Gengler and husband Matt, Iola; 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; three brothers, Gerial Shaw, Glenwood, Iowa, Koye Shaw and wife Diana, Independence, Mo., and Billy Shaw, Madison; and one sister, Judy Karanja, Emporia.
He was preceded in death by two sons, Johnnie Lee Shaw and Samuel Eugene Higgins, his parents, and a brother, Harold Wayne Shaw.
A memorial visitation will be 6-7:30 p.m. Friday at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service of Iola. His memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Contributions in his memory can be made to the James W. Shaw Memorial Fund or to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and left in care of the funeral home.
