Obituary of Virginia Ruth Shaw

Virginia Ruth Shaw March 31, 1923 ~ February 3, 2015 Virginia Ruth Shaw (nee Anderson) originally from Woburn, Massachusetts, passed away in Vancouver Washington on February 3rd 2015 at the age of 91. As a young girl, she helped her father Axel Anderson who grew flowers to sell at the Boston Market. She graduated from Woburn High School and The Burdett School of Business after which she took a job at the Bemis Bag Company in Boston. Later, she met Winthrop (Win) Shaw of Dracut, Massachusetts, and they married on her birthday, March 31, 1945. They bought a small farm and started their family with two daughters, Lorna and Barbara. Then in 1949, they sold their farm and moved west to California. A few years later, their son Mark was born to round out their family of five. Virginia learned about flowers at an early age. The influence was lasting, for no matter the time of year, or where she lived, there were always fresh flowers on the table. Vegetable gardening as well as flowers was also one of her passions. She took pride in using her own herbs and vegetables in her cooking and preserved all kinds of fruit and produce by canning them in her own kitchen. Her first big travel adventure was to cross the United States by car in 1949, but it was certainly not her last. She crisscrossed the nation many times to visit every state in Union, and toured Canada, Australia, Ireland, and Europe. In retirement, Virginia enjoyed touring in antique cars with the Horseless Carriage Club of America. She and Win often took their young grandchildren on club-organized road trips where they dressed in 1913 fashions to match the vintage of the antique Buick they drove. She leaves behind her husband Win, daughter Lorna and husband David Zurilgen, her daughter Barbara and husband Joel Harrison, and son Mark and wife Rinda Shaw as well as her older brother, Alan Anderson who now lives in Australia with his wife Jeanette. Virginia was quite proud of her nine grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. Her large family appreciated her sharp wit, devotion to family, and her interest for learning.