Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Shaw, 89, drifted off peacefully to the sweet melodies of her favorite hymns, surrounded by family at St. Anne’s Retirement Community in Columbia, Pa., passing away on the morning of Aug. 11, 2016. She was born in Philadelphia, Pa., on July 8, 1927.
Shaw graduated from J.W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School in Philadelphia. She enjoyed more than 50 happy years married to Robert “Bob” Shaw, who joyfully escorted her over the rainbow bridge and through the pearly gates to paradise.
In the midst of raising eight lovely children, the couple were enterprising business owners together, entertaining the city’s finest friends, neighbors, mummers and Bennington Boozers at The Blue Moon Café in Glenolden, Pa.
Her children (Robert and his wife, Bitsy, David and his wife, Martha, Nancy and her husband, Steve, Marybeth and her husband, Rick, Susan and her spouse, Chaley, Judy and her husband, Joe, Barbara and her husband, Otto, and Kathy) share fond memories of their pint-sized mother’s big-time enthusiasm for a long list of interests.
While in the morning on any given Sunday, she’d be power-walking to Mass at St. George’s, Sunday evenings were for cheering on the Phillies or Eagles. On other days, Shaw was at the bowling alley, special-needs volunteering, in yoga class, globetrotting or on the tennis court with two feet on the ground and a ball on the air.
Her grandchildren (Emily and her husband, George, Robbie and his wife, Sofia, Jesse, Casey, Jill, Ryan and his wife, Alex Maria, Conor, Sean, Delaney, Alex, Melanie, Brooke, Laz, Dominique and Vincent) will be the first to lovingly confess that rare was the challenger that could beat their grandmother’s lawn- and table-gaming finesse.
Shaw is bunny-hopping and singing along to her favorite tunes once more with her parents and siblings who preceded her in death, George Campbell, Agnes Keating, George Campbell Jr., Jack Campbell and Bob Campbell.
A funeral service was scheduled for Aug. 13, 2016, at St. Anne’s Retirement Home, Columbia, Pa. Arrangements were by Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home & Crematory, through which condolences may be sent online at www.snyderfuneralhome.com/obituaries. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations will be gratefully accepted by Special Olympics Pennsylvania; 2570 Blvd. of the Generals, Suite 124; Norristown, PA 19403, or at https://donate.specialolympics.org/secure/make-gift-change-life-pennsylv....