Winfield Shiras III

1925 - 2020

Winfield Shiras III of Winnetka and Evanston passed away on June 19, 2020 in Palm Desert, CA. Born to Winfield Shiras, Jr. (Pittsburgh) and Josefa Wätjen Shiras in 1925, he attended St. Bernard's School (NYC) and St. Paul's (Concord). After serving with the Navy in WWII, he earned an engineering degree from Cornell University and a Harvard MBA. Starting at Westinghouse, he later joined North American Rockwell in Los Angeles, working on supersonic aircraft. In 1979, he launched Shiras, Bell & Co in Chicago, a corporate turnaround firm, applying his versatile abilities to rescue corporations in such fields as steel, telecommunications, real estate, batteries, and hospitals. He quietly gave of his money, time, and talent throughout his life, never seeking thanks or recognition. Winfield and his first love, Sherrill Joyce, shared over 50 years of devoted marriage. They raised their family mostly in Laguna Beach, where he served on the boards of the Orange County Lyric Opera, the South Coast Community Hospital, and on the vestry at Saint Mary's Episcopal Church. Following business, the family moved to Winnetka in 1979. They spent the next 30 years in Winnetka and Palm Desert. When Sherry passed away in 2010, Winfield moved into the Mather of Evanston. In 2012, he married the second love of his life, ConnieLou Low, in Palm Desert. At 95, he still travelled, played golf, swam, and hiked until the day he contracted pneumonia. Despite his age, he never grew old. He died with ConnieLou at his side and his four children checking in from a sadly mandated distance. His two brothers, Peter and David Shiras, also preceded him in death. He is survived by ConnieLou, and his four children, Winfield Shiras IV of Santa Barbara, Robert Shiras (Patricia) of Seattle, Anne (Nan) Shiras Caldwell of Lake Bluff, and Leigh Shiras Bickmore (David) of Deerfield. He has half siblings, Josefa Wrangham and Timothy Wilson, one cousin, Louis Pemberton, nine grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. A service will be held at a future date at Christ Church, Winnetka. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Chicago Botanic Garden or the Chicago Lyric Opera.