Leon Shaw

Middletown, RI - Leon Maxwell Shaw, 88, of 52 Linden Street, Middletown, RI, died Thursday, February 22, 2007 at Grand Islander Nursing Home. He was the husband of the late Doris M. Hollis Shaw. Mr. Shaw lost his wife of 62 years January 18th, 2007. Born in Newport, RI on September 16, 1918, he was the son of the late Leon and Edith Cook Shaw. He lost his father when he was 2 and his mother when he was 12 years old. He lived with his sister Marion until he left for the war.Mr. Shaw was a 1936 graduate of Rogers High School. He was in the first group of volunteers to enlist in the Army at the beginning of WWII in 1940. He served in the Coast Artillery and Infantry until 1945 when he was honorably discharged as a 1st Lt. Infantry at Camp Robinson, AK. He continued as Battery Adjutant in the local National Guard until 1948. A ?self-made man?, Nap completed a correspondence course to become a Civil Engineer in 1948. He was employed with the Newport City Engineers from 1945 to 1950. From 1950 to 1960 he worked for the RI Department of Transportation as a Resident Engineer where he directed the construction of the Sakonnet River Bridge in 1954. He also oversaw the construction of Rt. 146 from Providence to Lincoln.Nap then was employed by the Newport Electric Corporation from 1960 to 1980 as a Civil and Right of way Engineer. He was chairman of the committee to design and construct the new site on Turner Road. He was a professional Land Surveyor form July 11, 1950 to 1998. Mr. Shaw served on the Commission that wrote the 1st Middletown Charter. He was on the 1st Middletown Building Code Commission. In the 60?s he was a Middletown Town Councilman. He was President of the Middletown Republican Committee. He was Secretary of the Newport Republican City Committee. Nap was President of the Newport Horticultural Society. He also served as President of the Newport Player?s Guild. Some of the major productions Nap acted in at the Newport Casino and Rogers High School includes; ?South Pacific?, ?Guys and Dolls?, Trigon Minstrel Shows and ?You Know I Can?t Hear You When the Water?s Running?. Mr. Shaw was an active member of the 1st Presbyterian Church from 1930 to 1990. His service at 1st Presbyterian included; Clerk of Session, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and member of the choir. He served on the committees that were responsible for: the organ, the construction of the Christian Education Building, the stainless steel kitchen and the covering of the stained glass windows. Nap transferred his membership to Trinity Church in 1990 where he served on the vestry. He is survived by his son Brian W. Shaw of Orland, FL, a daughter Nancy Shaw Burgess of Portsmouth, RI, a son-in-law, Edward James Burgess and two grand daughters Heather Lee McMahon of Alston, MA and AnnDee Lynn Rinkel of Newport, RI. He left several nieces, Patricia Toppa of Newport, Alana Schaefer of Attleboro, MA, Karen Tripp of Virginia, Linda Gold of Winter Garden, Florida and a nephew, George McLaughlin of Whiting, New Jersey. He was the brother of the late Helen Gold, Marion Howeison, Emily McLaughlin, George Shaw and William Memorial services will be held on Saturday, March 24, 2007 at 11:00am in 1st Presbyterian Church, Broadway, Newport, RI.