Shirley M. (Robinson) Shaw

SOUTH CHINA – Shirley M. (Robinson) Shaw, 84, of South China went to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2020 at Maine General Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care-Gray Birch following complications from a stroke in December of last year.

She was born on Jan. 7, 1936 in Gardiner, the daughter of Kenneth D. Robinson and Alta (Fitzherbert) Robinson. She was married to her husband, George Shaw for 44 years until his passing in 2001.

Shirley graduated from Gardiner High School and then went on to nursing school where she became an LPN. Her father opened Robinson’s Health Care Facility in Gardiner in 1953 where she worked and eventually became the Administrator until the sale of the facility in 1988.

After being retired for several years Shirley went back to work running the office of Structurally Sound Builders, a family owned general contracting business until retiring for good and spending time doing the things she loved. Shirley enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, going to church and Bible study, reading and knitting. She looked forward to watching the harness races at the Windsor fair every year and spending time with family and friends at the family camp in Boothbay during the summer. Shirley spent the winters at her home in Florida with her husband George for 10 years where they would entertain old and new friends. Shirley was a loving, caring woman who touched the hearts of everyone she met, and she will be missed dearly by many.

She is survived by her children, Karen McGillicuddy and her husband, Joe of South China, Kenneth Shaw and his partner Bea Handley of Emden, Karol Shaw and her husband Shawn Haines of Farmington and George (Webb) Shaw and his wife, Jodi of South China; seven grandchildren, Danielle Tibbs and her partner John Campbell of Salem, Kristy Burnette and her husband Alan of Huntersville, N.C., Austin Shaw, Evan Shaw, Faith Shaw and Lee Shaw of South China and Ethan Goff of Salt Lake City, Utah; three great-grandchildren, Hunter Burnette, Ridgleigh Burnette, John (L J) Campbell; and her sister-in-law, Alice Baxter of South China.

At the family’s request all services will be private, and burial will take place in Oak Grove cemetery, Gardiner.

The family would like to give special thanks to the staff at Gray Birch for their exceptional care of our mother/grandmother. During this difficult time when in-person visits were not permitted and she was no longer able to be at home, it was comforting to know that she was being lovingly cared for and treated like family by the nurses, CNAs and support staff.

Arrangements are in the care of Staples Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 53 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Staples Funeral Home website: http://www.familyfirstfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers,

donations may be made to:

Weeks Mills

Baptist Church

13 Deer Hill Road

Weeks Mills, Maine 04358,

where she was a member for many years.


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