David Shaw, 84, Had Great Love of Sailing

David Shaw, 84, died on Tuesday, March 8, at Hill House in Bath, Maine. He was born in Washington, D.C. to Stewart Baker Shaw and Jennie Kerr Shaw and spent his childhood in College Park, Md. He attended the University of Maryland and graduated from the MIT School of Architecture. During World War II, David served in the Merchant Marines as Commander of a sea-going tug in the European Theatre. After the war, he practiced architecture in Hyattsville, Md. with the firm of Paul Kea & Associates, and eventually had his own firm that designed and built many schools in the Washington-Maryland area.

David spent time each summer on Martha's Vineyard, together with his wife, Gretchen V.T. Shaw, and their three children. Gretchen's parents, Chester and Alma Van Tassel, retired to the Island in 1955 and were longtime year-round residents of Edgartown. Gretchen's younger brother, Peter Van Tassel, now lives year-round in the same South Water street house which formerly belonged to their parents.

Sailing has been one of the most important aspects of David's life. He was Commodore of the West River Sailing Club in Galesville, Md. and sailed for many years on the Chesapeake Bay. He sailed his yawl Skye from the Chesapeake to the Vineyard on more than one occasion. Since moving to Maine after his retirement, he spent much time on Skye and cruised off-shore to Newfoundland and Labrador.

In addition to Gretchen, his wife of 55 years, he is survived by his three children: Alison and her partner, Sue Dawson, of Oak Bluffs; Stephen, of Brunswick, Me.; and Michael and his wife Karen, of San Rafael, Calif.; his four grandchildren, Isobel and Maria Shaw of San Rafael, and Sarah and Jesse Shaw Dawson of Oak Bluffs; and six nephews, two nieces and their families.

David has been active in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Brunswick. Donations in his memory may be made to the church, P.O. Box 129, Brunswick, ME 04011, or to the Alzheimer's Association of Maine, 163 Lancaster street, Portland, ME 04101. The memorial service will be private.