Gary Shaw

Gary Devon Shaw was taken home to his Heavenly Father on Wednesday August 14, 2024 after a ten year battle with Lewey Body Dementia and Parkinson’s disease. 

He was born in Gunnison, Utah on July 11, 1954 to Edith LaDella Mellor and Lynn Devon Shaw. He grew up in Granger, Utah, and graduated from Granger High School. He served a very successful mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Rome, Italy. He returned home and attended Brigham Young University (BYU), where he met his sweetheart Kathleen Jenkins. Gary and Kathy were married on June 11, 1976 in the Salt Lake Temple. Gary and Kathy both graduated from BYU and settled their family in Salt Lake City, Utah where Gary owned an electrical contracting company, Shawco Electric. 

The family lived and served in the Salt Lake 31st Ward in the Salt Lake Park Stake for over forty years. Gary served as Bishop and in many other roles in their ward and stake over the years, including 12 years in the Salt Lake Temple. Gary and Kathy spent their final years in Spanish Fork, UT where they could be near family.

Gary was known for being a very hard worker and for his tireless acts of service, often helping family, neighbors, and associates in their times of need. Gary loved to be active and outdoors, often camping with his family. He loved to golf with friends and excelled as a competitive swimmer throughout his life, often leading the state in his age group. Gary loved music and was an outstanding drummer. Perhaps his greatest joys were playing with his grandkids, and telling “dad jokes” to everyone he met.

Gary is survived by his children; Jenny (Wade) Oliver, Cory (Rebecca) Shaw, Amy (David) Black, and Ashley (Kevin) Bai, and his 11 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Kathleen Jenkins Shaw, his daughter Emily Ann Shaw, his parents Edith LaDella Mellor Shaw and Lynn Devon Shaw, his parents-in-law Zina Thacker Jenkins and Lars Elwin Jenkins, and his brother Craig Shaw.

We would like to thank Maple Creek Hospice and Legacy House of Spanish Fork for their excellent care of Gary for the past two years, where his caregivers quickly learned to love his sweet temperament and his funny jokes.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 27, 2024 at the Salt Lake 1st Ward Building, 1078 S. McClelland Street Salt Lake City, Utah, where a viewing will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to services. He will be interred at the Lehi City Cemetery. 

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin about 10-15 minutes prior to the service and will be posted below.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Cystinosis Research Foundation (https://www.cystinosisresearch.org/) or the Parkinson's Foundation (https://www.parkinson.org/).