Dorothea Lucille (Mitchell) Shaw

Dorothea Lucille Mitchell Shaw graced this earth for over 100 years. Dottie was born April 25, 1921 in Chicago, Illinois to Hardy and Theodosia Mitchell, a devoutly Christian couple who loved both God and their little girl. The family’s life was filled with an abiding faith in Jesus Christ, a love of music and many travels across America. The Mitchells eventually settled in Los Angeles in the mid 1920’s.

Dottie lived through the tremendous upheaval of the 20th century. She recounted hearing FDR’s fireside chats beginning in the Great Depression and continuing through World War II. She was deeply impacted by memories of Pearl Harbor, air raid blackouts in Los Angeles and working for Lockheed Aircraft in the blueprint department. The camaraderie that brought the American population together during World War II remained an enormously pivotal experience in her life and shaped her enduring image of America as a beacon of hope.

Dottie met Jim Shaw at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood after World War II. Jim married “Mitch” on July 14, 1949. Together they raised four children in Pasadena and Newport Beach. Jim and Dottie built a solid foundation of love, music, faith, hard work and laughter for their children. The experiences of faith lived within their church community were testaments to the joy and goodness of God.

What a gift Dottie was to all who called her daughter, wife, friend, “Mitch”, mom, grandma, and GMA. After her recent passing, a family acquaintance captured Dottie’s essence through a photo commenting, “she looks kind and accepting and full of joy and mischief. That’s a combination that will be missed, assuredly.” What a perfect description of this grand woman we so treasured.

Dottie was a kind and accepting soul. Those of us blessed to call her Mom lived our childhood in the shade of her kindness and care. Even when life took tragic turns, the strength of our mother’s faithful presence allowed us to play, imagine and maintain hope as children always should. Whatever mistakes we made along the way, her acceptance and love never wavered. Dottie’s gentle embrace extended to her nine grandchildren. Having tenderly rocked each of them to sleep as infants, she carried them into adulthood through her prayers.

Dottie was full of mischief. An avid fan of the early Los Angeles Dodgers, this devout Christian lady would occasionally sneak a transistor radio and earpiece into church to hear Vin Scully call the Dodger game! At times, she might need a bit of coaxing to play along with the family comedy. Her natural elegance and reticence made it even more charming when, at age 99, she dressed as Mrs. Claus in an epic family Christmas photo or wore bunny ears on a family Zoom call at age 100. We will always cherish the memories of her delightful laugh and her quiet amusement with life’s silly moments.

Dottie’s joy in life and love of God flowed through music. She was a talented pianist. “Daddy”, her father, bought her a baby grand piano at age fifteen. Eventually, she would go on to accompany the former Big Band singer, Connie Haines and play piano on an early television program called “Judy Splinters.” The show won the first Emmy Award in 1949. Dottie loved majestic choral music and the melodies of Christmas nearly always began by July in her home.

During the last month of her life, Dottie donned some headphones and played church hymns from memory on her electronic keyboard. (We all wished she played out loud.) One of her last major outings was in August 2021 to watch her grandson Matt Frazier’s band, Local Natives, play to a sold-out crowd at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. There was Dottie, 100 years old, at the afterparty, beaming with pride until midnight…one last ball for our beloved Cinderella.

Dottie was preceded in death by her husband, Jim and their infant son, Gregory Steven. She is survived and forever loved by her children, Dana (Cindy Ann), Tim, Cindy and Debbie (Kris); her grandchildren, Jennifer (Ronn), Stephanie (Tom), Jamie (Brian), Jimmy, Matthew (Lindsey), Christian, Bryce (Pamela), Brandon (Kaitlyn), and Brittany; step-grandchildren Garrett (Alison), Kristen (Corey) and Callie (Scott). Dottie had seven great grandchildren and eleven step great grandchildren.

We are eternally grateful for our Dottie, Mom, Grandma and GMA who took comfort in the words, “may God be with you until we meet again.”

1 Corinthians 15:53 “…For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.54 …“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”…57….Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”