James Christian Shaw

James "Jay" C. Shaw, age 65, passed away unexpectedly from a brief illness on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. Born on August 16, 1954, in Columbus, Ohio and raised in Upper Arlington, Jay was a 1972 graduate of Upper Arlington High School, where he was an All-American Swimmer. He graduated from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1976 and remained a lifelong Tarheels fan. He later earned his Juris Doctorate from Capital Law School and worked in real estate for the bulk of his career, most recently as the owner of Inland Financial Inc. He was active in Recovery Alliance and The Desert Island Social and Recovery Club, assisting people with maintaining their sobriety. He was also a member of Rapid Response Emergency Addiction Crisis Team (RREACT), and the Serenity Street Foundation, as well as a longtime board member of Community Housing Network. Carrying on a family love for horses, he enjoyed horse racing; the celebrated harness racehorse Jay Time was named in his honor when he was a child. He was a consummate connector who loved engaging with his large network of friends and colleagues and helping members of the recovery community overcome adversity and find a successful path forward. In his spare time, he was an avid reader and a fan of action movies. He was also an active member of The Athletic Club of Columbus where he enjoyed staying fit.

Jay is preceded in death by his parents James R. and Carolyn B. Shaw. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 39 years Jenny; sister Hilary Shaw; brother-in-law Steve (Leslie) Sours; sister-in-law Kathy (Mike) Higbee; mother-in-law Jeanne M. Sours; nieces and nephews Peter (Kris) and Doug (Jane) Sours, Chris, Matthew (Gretchen) and Sarah Higbee, Holly Eagleson (Rick), Juliana Khusid (Mikhail); great-nieces Samantha, Sylvia, Lila and Anya, along with numerous other family members Jay loved dearly. Family will receive friends at SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST CHAPEL, 1740 Zollinger Road, on Monday, March 2, 2020, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to celebrate Jay's life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Desert Island Social and Recovery Club or RREACT in Jay's memory.