Rosannah Shaw

Rosannah E. Shaw, 92 of Elkhart, passed away early Friday morning, April 11, 2014 at Elkhart General Hospital. Rosannah was born to Frank and Zulia Immel on March 10, 1922 in Goshen. Her parents, a brother, Virgil (Virginia), a sister, Wava (Steve) and grandson, Todd, preceded her in death. She is survived by three children, Janet Sharkey and Larry (Judi) Shaw both of Elkhart and JoAnne (Curt) Heeg of Bristol; 8 grandsons, Tim Himebaugh, New Paris, Troy (Kathy) Eash, Elkhart, Bret Shaw, Goshen, Chad (Josie) Shaw, South Bend, Ryan Shaw, Phoenix, Matt Shaw, Chicago, Adam Heeg, Chicago and Joshua Heeg, Indianapolis; 9 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. She is also survived by a nephew, Pat (Chieko) Finton of Phoenix, grand nephew and niece, Steve (Annette) Finton of Mystic, CT and Kim (Troy) Clark of Bloomfield, CO, and their children.

Rosannah was born on a farm in Goshen and later, moved to one in Dunlap, where she grew up. Rosannah was very active throughout school at Concord. In high school, she was team captain of the girls’ basketball team, a member of the Debate Club, a cast member of three class plays, and class secretary/treasurer. She graduated from Concord High School in 1940, and proudly attended Concord Alumnae Reunions for over 70 years.

In her younger days, she stayed home to raise her family. She was very active in PTA and her children’s activities, including Concord Band Parents, for which she served as president. She also worked in the Concord High School office and volunteered for voter registration and election posts, matching her interest in politics. She later shared office responsibilities at Shaw-Wynn Homes, a family and partnership mobile home company, and at Midwest Abrasive in subsequent years. The last fourteen years of her career were at Miles Laboratories in the Diagnostics Division, where she was also a writer for the Miles Newspaper, and friend to many. She retired in 1992 at the age of 70.

Rosannah’s interests revolved around family and home, and she was very proud of both. She attended the EUB Church in Dunlap and later, Hillcrest United Methodist Church in Elkhart. Caring for her lawn and flowers, reading, traveling, keeping up with news and politics, and following IU basketball, for whom she was an avid fan, were her passions, as was her home and neighborhood, where she lived and enjoyed neighbors, friends, and family for over 50 years.

Visitation for Rosannah will be from 4-8 pm Tuesday, April 15th at Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home and an hour prior the service on Wednesday, April 16th at 11 am at Hillcrest United Methodist Church. Reverend Michael Heinbaugh will officiate. Burial will follow at Oakridge Cemetery, Goshen.