Gilbert Shaw

Gilbert Jack "Gil" Shaw, age 84, of Kerrville, Texas, died peacefully Wednesday, September 24, 2014, at River Hills Health & Rehabilitation Center in Kerrville. He was born on February 10, 1930, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to John L. and Adelaide Shaw. He had one sister, Martha.\r\n\r\nFollowing graduation from Classen High School in Oklahoma City, Gil attended the University of Oklahoma, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 1952. This led to his commission as a Lieutenant in the US Army Corps of Engineers. While stationed in Alaska, he met an Air Force nurse from Minnesota, Alice Katheryn "Kathy" Taylor. They were married, even though she outranked him, on June 5, 1953, in Anchorage at the 5005th Hospital chapel at Elmendorf Air Force base.\r\n\r\nAfter both were honorably discharged from active duty in their respective services, the couple moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1954, where Gil began working for The California Company (Chevron) as a Construction Engineer. It was in New Orleans that their two children, Ralph and Kay Ann, were born. After many years with Chevron, in the New Orleans area as well as periods living in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and Venice, Louisiana, Gil left Chevron in February, 1973, to join Occidental Exploration and Production Company (Oxy) in Bakersfield, California. The change in organizations eventually led to Gil becoming Vice President, Construction for Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd. He and Kathy relocated to the United Kingdom for several years, living in Horsell, England while Gil worked in Oxy's UK North Sea Corporate Headquarters in London, and then Aberdeen, Scotland while he was working there. Following their return to Bakersfield from Aberdeen, Gil traveled to a number of exotic locations as part of his duties as Manager, Construction for Oxy's international operations. His journeys allowed him to collect the many souvenirs and mementos that those who visited him are familiar with. After deciding that the Texas Hill Country was the part of the world most in need of another Sooner, Gil and Kathy moved to Kerrville in 1994 following his retirement from Oxy.\r\n\r\nIn his professional life, Gil was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Welding Society, and the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He was also a licensed Professional Engineer in Louisiana.\r\n\r\nDuring his time in Kerrville, Gil was a proud member of the Scots of the Texas Hill Country. He also enjoyed the meetings of both the Hill Country Camera Club and Hill Country Computer Club, although the progression of his neurological disorders kept him from attending in recent years. He continued until the end, however, to be always willing to demonstrate that he retained his independence from those disorders.\r\n\r\nGil is survived by his wife, Kathy; son, Ralph; daughter and son-in-law, Kay and Jack Cothren; grandsons, Jack Gilbert Cothren and Thomas Kevin Cothren; and the many nieces, nephews and in-laws whom he loved dearly.\r\n\r\nGil was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Martha Pitts; and daughter-in-law, Sandi Johnson Shaw.\r\n\r\nVisitation will be held Thursday, October 2, 2014, 3-4 PM at Grimes Funeral Chapels in Kerrville followed by a memorial service at 4 PM, officiated by Chaplain Steve Doss. \r\n\r\nHis family would be most appreciative if those wishing to honor Gil with flowers instead make a donation in his memory to the University of Oklahoma Foundation, the American Parkinson Disease Association, the National MS Society, or other charitable organization of their choosing.\r\n\r\n[contact-form-7 id="73" title="Send Condolences"]