Faye Shaw, 94

A gathering of family and friends to celebrate the life of Faye Shaw, 94, of Gainesville, will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, at The Center in Gainesville.  Mrs. Shaw, died Sept. 28 at Gainesville Health Care Center.

She was born Feb. 6, 1924, in Bippus, Indiana, the daughtert of Harvey and Maude Neher Bolinger. 

She was an expert seamstress who utilized her talents in many ways to help the community over many years. Her dear friend Barbara Henegar, former administrator of GHCC, now living in Asheville, North Carolina, said Mrs. Shaw “dedicated numerous hours sewing as a volunteer at GHCC.  Besides mending buttons, zippers and hems, she mended peoples’ memories. Many residents enjoyed sitting and watching her sew as it reminded them of watching their mothers and grandmothers. She always had kind words to say to them and often listened to the stories of their lives.  The days that ‘the sewing lady’ came were very special.”

Many children in the community have been the lucky recipients of her beautifully sewn Raggedy Ann dolls distributed by community volunteers and organizations at Christmas. During the last couple of years, she took up drawing and watercolor painting and produced several framed pieces, mainly landscapes. She had a natural talent for drawing, perhaps acquiring her talent from her father, who was an inventor.  She could figure out a way to tackle many problems and come up with a fix.

She attended several local churches when her health permitted. She was a Christian and loved religious music.

She was unpretentious and kind and made many friends while playing cards and games with a weekly group; she especially enjoyed playing pitch, Skippo and dominos. She also loved to cook and trade recipes. Friends loved her cheerfulness, her big smile and her sense of humor.  

As Mrs. Shaw’s health declined, many friends, neighbors and members of the business community were especially helpful and kind to her and her daughter who visited from California, bringing homemade food and desserts to raise her spirits. She was fortunate to end her life living next door to Treva Warrick, who assisted her in obtaining senior services and health aides and equipment, and also provided a home for her dog, Angel, upon Mrs. Shaw’s sudden death.  The Center in Gainesville was also helpful in providing home-delivered meal and calling regularly to check on her condition.

Mrs. Shaw is survived by her daughter, Wilma Owens and husband Bill of Ramona, California; her grandson, Steven Owens and wife Meshawn, and granddaughters Cierra and Michaela, all of California; her other daughter, Barbara Seymour of Mountain Home, Arkansas; her son, Gary Lowitz also of Arkansas; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; nieces Penny Rammer and husband Peter of California and their two children, Grant and Lauren, and Gail Carter and husband Gene of Mountain Grove and their children and grandchildren; nephews Barry Schneider of California and Ronny Mayfield and wife Freda of Ozark, and their daughter, Cheryl Mayfield; 

Arrangements by Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Gainesville.