Shirley SHAW

SHAW, Shirley
On May 30, 2013, the world lost a true warrior. Shirley Burns Shaw was born on the 27th of December 1943 to Bill and Shirley Burns in Bainbridge, Georgia. She was the first of twelve children.
In 1965, she graduated from St. Margaret's School of Nursing in Montgomery, Alabama. Shirley was then commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. She did a tour in Vietnam, which she said was 'the most tiring, saddest, but most rewarding time of my life.' Shirley and the other nurses set up the 12th Evacuation hospital at Cu Chi, the Headquarters for the 25th Infantry Division. In February 1968 she was promoted to Captain, in July of that year she left the Army to begin a family and start a career in Oncology nursing.
Upon returning to the states, Shirley joined the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post. She became involved with running the organization and was eventually elected District Commander and State Commander. She was the first female elected in California and first female nationally to win All American status at each level.
Shirley is survived by her husband James Roy (Jr) Shaw II, her 7 children and their families which include 4 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Shirley is also survived by 10 siblings. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to VFW Post 4647, 3300 U St. Antelope, CA c/o Shirley Shaw Memorial. A mass will be held Thursday June 6 at SS. Peter and Paul in Rocklin, CA at 10am with a graveside service at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon at 1pm, and a memorial at VFW Post 4647 at 4pm.