Jan. 10, 1925 – Dec. 29, 2015
Benjamin Osburn “Ozzie” Shaw, 90, of Sweet Home, died Dec. 29, 2015 in Vancouver, Wash.
He was born Jan. 10, 1925 in Clarendon, Ark. to Benjamin Shaw and Lottie Dugan.
When he was 2 years old, his father was killed and he was raised by his mother. His family moved to Kansas and then to Red Oak, Iowa, where he was a multisport athlete and graduated from high school in 1942.
Mr. Shaw worked with the U.S. Treasury in Washington D.C., and then, at 18, enlisted in the Navy Air Corps After his discharge in 1946, he returned to Red Oak and attended Red Oak Junior College.
He began a career as a surveyor in Montgomery County, Iowa. Soon after being named assistant engineer in 1950, he moved to Sweet Home, working for a couple different surveying companies.
He then branched out on his own, starting a private survey business, Shaw-Dobyns and Associates. His surveying company did well and was a mainstay in Sweet Home for years. In 1981 he was elected as Linn County Surveyor, a title he held for many years.
Mr. Shaw married his first wife, Lavonne Brown, in 1947. They were divorced in 1954. He then married Barbara Stone in 1955. They celebrated their 60th anniversary this past year (2015).
Mr. Shaw founded the Linn County Parks System in 1959 and has been involved ever since. In 1993, the county dedicated the “B. Osburn ‘Ozzie’ Shaw” recreational area at Sunnyside Park. Recently, Mr. Shaw was named “Parks Chairman Emeritus for Life,” honoring his 50-plus years of interest and passion for Linn County and its parks.
As a civic leader in Sweet Home, he was heavily involved in Rotary, the Elks, and more recently in the Senior Center. Many didn’t know, but he spent 20-plus years running the score board at the Sweet Home High School football games.
He enjoyed being involved in other local activities, such as helping with the Sportsman’s Holiday parade and the yearly Easter Egg hunt.
Mr. Shaw is survived by his wife of 60 years, Barbara; sister Charlene Corrin of Fresno Calif.; son John Bingham of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; daughter Kathleen Shaw of Mukilteo, Wash.; daughter Maureen Davis of Culver; son Randy Bingham of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; son Ben Shaw of Scappoose,; and son Mike Shaw of Vancouver, Wash.; and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father in 1928 and his mother in 1995.
A celebration of his life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at Sweet Home Evangelical Church with a reception to follow.
Contributions may be made in in lieu of flowers to the Sweet Home Crisis Pregnancy Center or to Linn County Parks.
Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.