Stephen J. Shaw

Stephen J. Shaw (1954-2025)

Stephen J. Shaw, a journalist whose sharp pen and sharper wit carried him from the early days of Mini Micro Systems and SMATV to the pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the International Herald Tribune, died August 15, 2025 at the age of 71. He consistently lived his life as the intelligent, curious, and irreverent man he was. He most recently lived in Florida, but was equally at home in DC, Rome, Boulder, Paris, Cambridge, Providence, London, Newport, and Denver, where he spent so many happy years of his life.

Born in New York, NY to the late Isabelle (née Bisson) and Anthony R. Shaw, Stephen grew up in Rhode Island with a love of words, music, and photography. He graduated from Rhode Island College, where he honed both his writing and his appreciation for the absurdities of life. His time in the press office of then Providence, RI mayor Buddy Cianci is but one example. As a journalist, he chased stories across subjects, languages, and continents, wielding a keen wit and a talent for turning dry tech-related or economic statistical news into something worth reading.

He leveraged his journalistic prowess into several interesting pursuits, including working for the European Space Agency, Earth Imaging Group in Italy as a web content manager, and as a Press Affairs Officer for the Director of National Intelligence.

He was also a photographer with a gift for finding moments of truth in small details. From skiing the mountains of Colorado, to wandering the streets of Europe, he captured life and celebrated it. A lifelong lover of music, particularly Motown, those irresistible rhythms fueled his energy as a great dancer. Many will remember him as the friendly bartender at the exclusive Kit Kat Club in DC. Not every passion was crowned with success. His brief attempt at horsemanship left him, and more than one horse, unconvinced that equestrian pursuits were his calling. Yet even in failure, Stephen found humor, and often a story worth telling. Who could forget the Iceland Pony Saga?

When he became one of the early victims of identity theft-a distressing ordeal for most-he transformed the experience into a new line of reporting, including testifying in front of Congress. His work helped thousands of others understand and navigate a problem that was only beginning to reshape modern life. It was typical of him: take a personal misfortune, then use it to illuminate something larger and help others in the process.

Stephen is survived by his wife of 37 years, Maura Hennessy Shaw, who was his partner in laughter and life; his brother, Anthony R. Shaw, Jr. and his sisters, Isabelle Shaw Eberhart and Susanne I. Shaw. He was predeceased by his brother Bryant P. Shaw. He also leaves behind countless friends, family, and admirers who knew him as a raconteur, and a skeptic with a big heart.

In remembering him, it feels right to follow his lead: keep the music loud, and the dance floor open.

The family will arrange a memorial service at a later date.