Final Salute

James Shaw, 96, of Waco, TX, passed away peacefully January 19, 2023, at his Waco residence, surrounded by his care givers and Chaplains from Interim Hospice.

James was born December 24, 1926, to Robert and Bertha Shaw of Mountain View, AR, and was always known as “The Christmas Baby” while growing up. James entered the United States Navy during the later months of World War II and ended the war in a Navy Seabees battalion on the island of Guam. After separating from the Navy, James met and married Cora Lee Jackson January 11, 1947.

Initially, James started farming in Missouri, as that was what he knew best from growing up in rural Arkansas. Wanting a better life for his family, James left farming to work for Magnolia Oil Company (Mobil Oil). He was selected by Mobile to be on the start-up team for a new Mobil Chemical Plant in Beaumont in the early 1950s and was designated as employee #66. He retired in 1980 and he and Cora traveled the county until settling down in Waco in 2006.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Cora Lee Shaw who passed in April of 2020; and by his daughter, Diana Lynn Danna who passed in January of 2018.

Survivors include his eldest son, Arthur E. Shaw and his wife, Brenda of Lawrenceville, GA, and Ronald D. Shaw and his wife, Sharon of Riverbank, CA; son, Kyle of San Diego, CA; and daughter, Amanda of Waco, TX.

James will be cremated and his ashes scattered along with his wife’s ashes along a favorite segment of the California coastline.