Bonnie Lucille Shaw
Bonnie Lucille Shaw passed away peacefully on January 17 at their home in Zeeland, MI. Per her wishes, her body will return to Gladwin, where a celebration of her life’s journey will end where it began with her birth on November 4, 1930.
She was born to Esther and Virgil Bailey in Gladwin Michigan. She was a graduate of Gladwin High and Michigan State University where she met her future husband, James W. Shaw. They were married May 16, 1953. While living in the Detroit area, Bonnie taught elementary students for the Redford Union School District. She was a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church and was a faithful Sunday school teacher for many years.
Bonnie and Jim raised three children, James (Debbie) Shaw of Holt, Michigan, Cathleen (Kevin) Malotka of Saginaw, Michigan, and David (Linda) Shaw of Zeeland, Michigan. After retirement, Bonnie and Jim moved to Gladwin and enjoyed many years there. Bonnie was a lifelong member of the United Methodist church in Gladwin and was active in many of the church’s activities. She was an avid gardener and had a thriving vegetable garden at the family farm with her sister Darlene, along with beautiful flowers in gardens at home. Bonnie encouraged growth of milkweed both at the farm and at home and nurtured an appreciation of the lifecycle of Monarch butterflies in her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Bonnie also loved to read, and spending time at the family cottage in Leland, Michigan.
Conservation was important to Bonnie and her sisters whereby they not only protected the farmland through a conservation easement, but the farm buildings as well with their affiliation with the Michigan Barn Preservation Network. In the past year, Bonnie and Jim moved to Zeeland to be closer to family.
Bonnie is survived by her husband of 69 years, James; her sisters Emma Jean Phillips, Darlene (Charles) Wolohan; in-laws Harold (Marilyn) Shaw and Janet Hibbard; grandchildren, Shannon (Chris) Gerhardt, Kelly (Justin) Koehn, Keller Shaw, Katelynn (Pierce) Youatt, Christopher Shaw and Kamryn (Nate) Mack; great-grandchildren, Bryn and Graham Gerhardt, Keegan Shaw, James and Jaclyn Koehn, Clyde Youatt, and one baby arriving this spring. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and good friends.
Bonnie loved her family intensely, whereby she started the family traditions of winter weekends, holiday gatherings, especially Christmas Day family dinner/party, creation of annual cookie castles, the infamous cousins’ week, dud bags for vacation trips, pillow presents, and too many more to list. Often these traditions served to bring family closer to each other and are fondly remembered.
Bonnie was very generous with her resources, both time and money. On her birthday, her favorite gift was a contribution to the charity of the giver’s choice. She found delight in seeing all the good done in her honor.
Our family would like to continue that tradition of remembering Bonnie in memorials that have meaning to the giver. Some charities that were near and dear to Bonnie’s heart are Michigan Barn Preservation Network, Little Forks Conservation, Leelanau Conservancy and Gladwin County Council on Aging Meals on Wheels.
Visitation will be at Lee Ramsay Funeral Home in Gladwin on Saturday, January 28 from 4-8 p.m. Bonnie’s funeral will be held at the funeral home on Sunday, January 29 at 2 p.m. Burial will be at Highland Cemetery.
Lyles’s Flowers will be handling any floral tributes. The family would like to thank the staff of Royal Atrium Inn in Zeeland for their compassionate care of both Bonnie and Jim.