Michael William Shaw

Michael W. Shaw, age 68, of Chandler, Arizona, passed away peacefully on August 25, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on December 16, 1955 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Robert and Maripat Shaw. The oldest of six children, Mike graduated from Messmer High School in 1975 and went on to receive his Associate Degree in Computer Numerical Control from Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Mike married Linda in 1984 and in 1990 they moved to Arizona where Mike was a stay-at-home Dad while running a successful business selling tooling and computer chip storage boxes.
Mike grew up playing sports, often coached by his father. Mike enjoyed playing golf, racquetball and softball as an adult. He was an avid sports fan and supporter of both Wisconsin and Arizona college and professional teams. He was fortunate to share that love with his wife and children, attending several Rose Bowl games, March Madness basketball games, Packer games, and the Arizona Diamondbacks win in game 7 of the 2001 World Series. He was a «foodie» who enjoyed sushi, a good steak and a snifter of Hennessy. He also loved music, movies, reading, and traveling.
Mike was a proud and loving husband, father and grandfather. Family was his priority, and he was passionate about spending time together. A family outing to Top Golf or gathering to watch Sunday football together filled him with pure joy. He had fond memories of trips to Thailand and Japan with Linda, multiple cross-country family road trips, and a family trip to Europe.
Mike had a knack for making friends easily and making everyone feel like his best friend. He was a good communicator and always had a story to tell. Mike was big-hearted and never hesitated to lend a helping hand. One of his best qualities was his sense of humor and willingness to laugh at himself.
Friends and family liked to tease Mike about being «cheap», knowing he was generous with his time and money. Whether driving a stranger to Phoenix so he didn't have to wait for a bus in the hot summer sun, buying a gift for a store clerk who was going through a stressful time at home, buying a prom dress for a family friend, or helping a neighbor lay sod in his front yard, Mike demonstrated his giving nature time and again.
Although he faced some medical challenges in recent years, Mike was strong-willed and kept moving forward. He was a straight-forward (tell it like it is) kind of guy who believed in honesty and integrity. He was a mentor to many young people and a loyal friend to others. He was admired by all for his authenticity.
Mike is survived by Linda, his wife of 40 years, his children Jacob (Laurie), Evan (Jennifer), and Taylor (David), and his grandchildren, Emily and Anderson. He is also survived by his father, Robert, sisters Kathleen, Sally, Molly and Margaret, his aunt and uncle, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his beloved mother, Maripat, and brother, Timothy.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of your choice.
Mike will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date.