Merrill “Whitey” Shaw was born March 25, 1930 in McDonough, Georgia, south of Atlanta to the late Blummer and Winnie Byrd (Thompson) Shaw where he grew up as a child.
Whitey “snuck” into the Coast Guard at the ripe old age of 17 and served there for the next 20 years. The Coast Guard wanted him to serve longer but he chose to retire. During his service, he was stationed on the island of Bermuda approximately 4 years. It was there that he met Noreen, his future wife.
After his retirement from the military he got into the trucking business and was an independent driver for many years in the Southern US. He and Noreen moved to Arkansas, buying a home on Whitney Mountain overlooking Beaver Lake where he lived in retirement until his passing. Whitey was an avid fisherman and hunter for many years.
He is survived by his wife, Noreen, and his three children: Charlene, Sherryl and Donald as well as other relatives and friends. Whitey will be interned at the Fayetteville National Cemetery in Fayetteville, Arkansas.