Dr. William Frederick Shaw

Dr. William Frederick Shaw

Died peacefully in his sleep at home in Port Perry, Ontario on Saturday, May 26, 2018. Bill will be deeply missed by his wife and best friend of 28 years, Laurette Vachon, his children Sharon, Debbie, William, his step-children Danny, Alain, Sonia and Anick. His grandchildren Genevieve, Kristal, Jessica, Tristan, Mackenzie, Eric and Cameron will also greatly miss “Grand-dad Bill”. He sadly leaves his sister Kathy Shaw-Andres, brother Barry Shaw and sister-in-law Beverley Shaw. He is joining his late brother George and sister Marjorie.

Bill was born in Montreal on October 13, 1932, son of the late Fred Shaw, mother Peggy and step-mother Molly. He studied at McGill University and graduated in 1958 in the Faculty of Dentistry as an Oral Surgeon. After serving five years in the Canadian Armed Forces overseas, he entered private practice in Hudson, Quebec. In 1965, Bill became one of the original staff of the Lakeshore General Hospital in Pointe-Claire, Quebec. He then moved his practice to Pointe-Claire where he founded “Les Dentistes de South West One” and worked there until the age of 77. He was the “Robin Hood” of dentists, known for his many charitable dental services to underprivileged and disabled clients.

One of Bill’s many passions was politics. From 1965 to 1968 he was the President of the Progressive Conservative Party in the County of Vaudreuil. Then in 1976 he was elected to the Quebec Legislature representing the riding of Pointe-Claire for five years. During this period, the Parti Quebecois was also elected and the Quebec independence movement became a reality. Bill was actively involved supporting the federalist side, and with his friend Lionel Albert wrote the book “Partition, the Price of Quebec’s Independence”. He is a member of the National Assembly in Quebec.

In addition to dentistry and politics, Bill enjoyed singing and writing. Beginning at McGill, Bill would perform in light opera, often in the lead role in Gilbert and Sullivan productions. While in Pointe-Claire, he joined the Lakeshore Light Opera Company. Several church choirs benefited from his lovely tenor and later baritone voice. After retirement, Bill turned his hand to writing historical fiction and in 2014 published the book “Damned Adventure”, chronicling the 1812-1814 American war and its impact on Quebec city.

For recreation, Bill enjoyed sports, particularly golf. In his younger days, he coached football and basketball at College Bourget in Rigaud, and then became involved in sailing. Bill was always available to play a game of golf at the Beaconsfield Golf Club where he was a member for many years. In 2010, Bill and his wife Laurette moved to Port Perry, Ontario in an Adult Lifestyle Community where they enjoyed the golf course, the many activities but most of all the wonderful people.

A larger than life and increasingly wise husband, father, grandfather and friend,

the world is a far less interesting place for his absence.

A Celebration of Bill’s Life will be held at Cedar United Church, 204 Lakeview Avenue, Pointe-Claire on Saturday, September 22, 2018 at 1 p.m. followed by a private interment at Collins Clarke MacGillivray White Columbarium. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Bill may be made to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.