Michael Francis Shaw was born December 3, 1946, in El Paso, TX, to John Jacob Shaw and Earlene Frances Woody. Mike’s grandparents were those who tamed the West: the daughter of a notable Texas Ranger and a rancher, a locomotive engineer for Santa Fe RR, and a Harvey Girl from Ireland. Mike grew up and attended schools in El Paso, graduating from Burgess High School. He was drafted into the US Navy to serve in Vietnam, where he was Quartermaster on ships in the Tonkin Gulf, the USS Mars, and later the USS Castor. After an honorable discharge from the Navy, he completed a B.S. and M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Texas at El Paso.
He began his career in the domestic mining industry, working on copper projects for Phelps Dodge in El Paso, TX; Playas, NM; and Morenci, AZ. In the early 1980s, he began work as a Project Manager for the mining engineering industry, employed by Davy McKee Corporation and later Bechtel, where he undertook studies and construction management of metals and minerals production facilities for domestic and international work. Lastly, in his career, he applied the same skills to international metals producers in Peru, Panama, Bolivia, Ghana, Kenya, and Baja California, where he often worked with local indigenous peoples to improve their lives. He is a past member of AIME and the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America.
Mike had wide-ranging interests over his lifetime. He owned several light airplanes and was a certified instrument flight instructor; climbed ‘14ers’ and fly fished in Colorado; scuba dived in Panama and Mexico; loved local Paso wine, cooking, and playing the guitar. His passion was mentoring and helping people at all levels, wherever he had the opportunity.
Mike and Stevia retired to Atascadero in 2010. He joined Atascadero Kiwanis and was a past President and board member, and until recently, an active member of Kiwanis. He served as a board director of the Cuesta College Foundation and a volunteer at Atascadero Public Works.
He was a loving husband and father of four accomplished and talented children of whom he was proud. Mike is survived by his wife of 32 years, Stevia Wilson Shaw; his daughter, Tanya Steinhofer and husband Eric; and grandchildren, Brendan and Ashlyn of Mill Valley; son Christopher Shaw and wife Tara Bacon of San Diego; son Ryan Shaw and wife Ann Shen of Los Angeles; daughter Lacey Shaw of Escondido; and his brother Randy Shaw and wife Eileen of Elephant Butte, NM. Mike is also survived by Sue Sherrell, the mother of his children.
Please consider donating to Loaves and Fishes, The Boys and Girls Club, or Atascadero Kiwanis. A memorial will be held later this spring.
