Walter Herbert Shaw, Jr.

Walter H. Shaw passed away peacefully in his Lakeside, AZ home on March 14, 2011. He was 81 years of age. Born in Socorro, New Mexico, Walt came to Arizona when his parents, Walter (Sr.) and Ruth Shaw, moved to Springerville in 1933. He graduated from McNary High School in 1948. Walt was a collegiate football player for San Diego State University and Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU). He graduated from ENMU in 1952. Upon graduation, he taught at Quemado High School in Quemado, New Mexico. He then returned to his alma mater, McNary High School, to teach and coach football, basketball and baseball. He would remain in his beloved White Mountains of Arizona for the rest of his life, after marrying Bonnie Ayers (Shaw) in 1955 and enjoying more than 50 years of marriage. Walter and Bonnie (deceased 2007) loved to hunt, fish, picnic and camp and never tired of enjoying the rich outdoor environment of the White Mountains with their family and friends. In 1957 Walt went to work for White Mountain Tribal Enterprises (WMTE). He worked for the White Mountain Apache Tribe in a number of capacities including management of the vacation cabins at Hon Dah, and as the job corps supervisor for the building of several popular WMTE destinations such as Hawley Lake and Reservation Lake. He was also the manager of the White Mountain Apache Fair and Rodeo from 1974-1983. From 1964 until his retirement in 1994, Walt was a dedicated teacher for the Whiteriver Public School District. He taught junior high students and coached junior high teams for football, basketball, and track. He continued an active working relationship with the Apache Tribe during these years and worked for BIA Forestry in Fire Management (Whiteriver Agency). After serving in capacities such as Plans Section Chief, Training Specialist, Operations Section Chief and Logistics Section Chief in the National Interagency Incident Management system, he eventually rose to become a Southwest Area Type-I Incident Management Team Commander. A man of many interests, Walt also enjoyed many years of part-time work as a sports broadcaster for KVWM Radio in the White Mountains and enjoyed serving the region's high schools as a sports referee. Along with his wife, Bonnie, he owned and operated Frontier Sporting Goods in Pinetop from 1962- 1969. Walt Shaw is survived by his sister Annette Budenholzer, his son Gil Shaw, his two daughters Margaret Shaw and Alison Shaw, his son-in-law Martin Erickson and his three grandchildren, Matthew Erickson, Jennifer Erickson, and Amber Downs. A memorial celebration, picnic and fishing event in Walt's honor will be held at Woodland Lake Park on Saturday June 11, 2011 at 2:00 PM. Specific information regarding the celebration will be posted in the coming months on the website: www.waltgoesfishing.com. Friends are asked to visit the online guest book for Walter H. Shaw Jr. at Owens/Livingston Mortuary (www.owensmortuary.com). A memorial celebration, picnic and fishing event in Walt's honor will be held at Woodland Lake Park on Saturday June 11, 2011 at 2:00 PM. Specific information regarding the celebration will be posted in the coming months on the website: www.waltgoesfishing.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to The V Foundation for Cancer Research (www.jimmyv.org) or The White Mountain Hospice Foundation, c/o Kathleen C. Hughes, 1789 Commerce Dr., Lakeside, Arizona 85929-5354.