Raymond Wilbur Shaw

Raymond Wilbur Shaw
Passed away May 4, 2013. He was born in San Bernardino on April 22, 1925. He graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1943. He entered the Navy, served in World War II as an Ensign, and was honorably discharged in August, 1946. He married Patricia Moran on November 25, 1949. He started working for the San Bernardino Fire Department in 1955 as a fireman and worked his way up to being the Fire Chief from 1971- 1980. Some of his notable achievements as Fire Chief include starting paramedic service to the public and initiating a training program to certify all fire personnel as Emergency Medical Technicians. He initiated a fire station relocation program that, when completed, helped reduce the city's budget without having to cut personnel and reduced response time to emergency calls by twenty-five percent. In February, 1980, he became the coordinator at San Bernardino Valley College Fire Academy which eventually moved to Crafton Hills College where he continued to run the program until his retirement in 1991. Raymond was a resident of San Bernardino for most of his life, but later in life relocated to Pismo Beach with his wife. He was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, fireman, and friend. He is preceded in death by his wife Patricia and son Gregory. He is survived by his son Steven and daughter-in-law Gail, grandchildren Kelly and Michael, his sister Lila Strickler, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. A memorial service will be held at Bobbitt Memorial Chapel on Saturday, May 11, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. with a reception to follow. His ashes will later be scattered at sea off the coast of San Luis Obispo County. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of Retired Fire Chief Raymond Shaw to the California Firefighter Memorial, 1780 Creekside Oaks Dr., Suite 200, Sacramento, CA, 95833.