Vernon Nelson Shaw

Vernon N. Shaw passed away on July 25, 2014. He was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, on November 27, 1918, to Frank Ervin Shaw and Eva McRee Shaw. Vernon attended schools in Hot Springs and worked in a number of grocery stores during his teenage years. In early 1941, he enlisted in the United States Army, serving from 1941 through 1945, primarily in the Southwest Pacific Theater.

After getting out of the Army, he opened his own grocery store, Tip-Top Grocery, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was during this time that he met and married Rosaland Shute. They were married on January 4, 1948, at Park Place Baptist Church in Hot Springs and subsequently started their home in Hot Springs.

In the mid 1950's, Vernon and Rosaland moved to DeKalb, Texas, to open a grocery store, that became Shaw's Piggly Wiggly. He started his new grocery business in a small, store-front and in 1959, he built a new building that was to remain open until the early 1980's, when he retired from the grocery business. Vernon thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the grocery business. He treated his customers fairly and honestly. Beginning in the early 1960's, Vernon employed people of all races and treated those who worked with and for him, equally and with respect.

After retiring, he and Rosaland moved to Texarkana, Texas, where he lived until his death. After his retirement, he occasionally worked in Shute's Piggly Wiggly store in New Boston and often delivered food to the Salvation Army and Harvest Texarkana. Vernon served as a deacon and taught Sunday School in the First Baptist Church of DeKalb. When he and Rosaland moved to Texarkana, they joined First Baptist Church, where they were active members.

Vernon was a generous, kind, and considerate person. He quietly helped a great many people throughout the years. He loved and was devoted to his family. He also loved the grocery business and felt it was his true calling. In recent years, the City of DeKalb honored Vernon with the Noble Award, for significant contributions to the community. Vernon was in every sense of the word, a good person.

He is survived by his wife, Rosaland Shaw of Texarkana, Texas; son, Nelson V. Shaw and his wife, Cheryl of Texarkana, Arkansas; grandchildren Amy Dougherty and her husband Todd, of Maumelle, Arkansas, John Shaw and his wife, Casey, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Nathan Shaw and his wife, Tara, of Rogers, Arkansas, Kate Collins of Texarkana, Arkansas, and Cody Collins and Lila Langston of Hope, Arkansas; great grandchildren Rowan Dougherty and Penn Dougherty, and Cypress Collins, Edyn Collins and Ethan Langston; and, a number of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. He is also survived by his sister, Louise Card of Hanford, California, and his brother-in-law, Hiram Shute of New Boston, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202; or Harvest Texarkana Food Bank, 3120 E. 19th Street, Texarkana, AR 71854.

A celebration of his life will be at 2p.m. on Sunday, July, 27, 2014, at the East Funeral Home, 2807 Moores Lane, Texarkana, Texas.

The family will receive friends at East Funeral Home, 2807 Moores Lane, Texarkana, Texas, from 1 p.m. to 2p.m. on Sunday prior to funeral service.

Condolences may be left at www.eastfuneralhomes.com