Luci Northcote Shaw

1928 - 2025

Luci Northcote Shaw

December 29, 1928 - December 1, 2025

Bellingham, Washington - Luci Northcote Shaw died peacefully on 1 December 2025 leaving behind her husband John Hoyte, her five children (Robin, Marian, John, Jeffrey and Kristin) and two step-children (Jonathon and Elizabeth) and her cat Bob. Luci's ninety-six years were filled with words and their meanings. She was a prolific poet and essayist, editor, speaker and correspondent. She wrote until the end. Her eye for beauty joined her ear for word and lyric phrase, juxtaposing the many patterns of nature, faith, and relationships.

Born in London in 1928, Luci was raised in Australia and Canada, graduated from Wheaton College, and married Harold Shaw, a book publisher. While raising her children she worked as editor, publisher and English stylist, contributed poetry to numerous journals and periodicals as well as publishing her own poetry starting with Listen to the Green (1973). She enjoyed a longstanding collaborative friendship with best-seller Madeleine L'Engle. Following her husband's death in 1986 Luci moved to the West Coast of the US, became writer in residence at Regent College, Vancouver Canada and became a charter member of the Chrysostom Society of Christian Writers.

Luci married John Hoyte, living in Menlo Park, California and then Bellingham, Washington. She has issued a steady stream of poetry for decades. She has published more than 40 volumes of poetry, prose and anthology. She also enjoyed sailing, camping, knitting, photography, playing scrabble, and maintained a worldwide circle of correspondence. She was an active member of St Paul's Episcopal Church in Bellingham, an ellipse of committed prayer friends and a wooded field full of lasting friendships.

Luci wrote with a clear voice, interrogating nature and faith with her eye and ear, searching for what rang true, and naming how it did.

A memorial service is planned for Spring 2026.