Doris M. Shaw Hanson

Doris Mae Shaw was born on August 18, 1929 in Murtaugh, Idaho to Ezra James Shaw and Goldie Jennie Carlson Shaw. In addition to her older sister, Ruth, three younger sisters, Ella, Elaine, and Lois were later born to their family.

One of the experiences Doris related about her childhood happened when she was only three years old. After walking (probably running) to meet her father, he picked her up and set her on a horse. That horse decided to walk down into a fast running irrigation canal. Her mother yelled, “Hold on to Doris!” but it was too late. Luckily she floated up to the water’s surface where her mother grabbed her, saving her life.

Doris began school in a one-room school house in Hazelton, Idaho. There were only 2 first-grade students and only 10-12 students total in grades 1-8. During 3rd grade her family moved to Buell, Idaho, and in 5th grade they moved back to Murtaugh where they lived until she completed 8th grade.

Before starting high school her family moved to Portland, Oregon where her father worked in the shipyards by day and her mother worked there on the swing shift.

Doris recalled that before moving to Portland, she had never tasted pasteurized milk in a carton. In Idaho they only drank raw milk.

She attended Franklin High School for one year before transferring to attend Girls Polytechnic. There she excelled in school. Despite her academic accomplishments, her desire after high school was not to attend college, but rather to get married and start a family. In fact she did marry Kelly (Clarence) Holter when she was just 18 years old. At age 19, she gave birth to Ervin. You can imagine the attention he received from his four aunts and grandparents who raised a family of girls. When Doris was 21 she had a daughter named Joyce; and, when she was 27 her last child, Randy, was born. Unfortunately this marriage ended in 1961 and Doris raised her three children without support from their father. She never complained about the responsibility, but delighted in being a mother. In fact, she was the kind of mother that friends of her children also called “Mom.”

She worked for David Douglas School District for 23 years as a secretary in the Instruction Materials Center. She enjoyed this work, and to help make ends meet, she also sewed for clients. Her sewing ability has always been amazing. She also crocheted and knitted beautiful projects.

On August 26, 1977 Doris married Kenneth Hanson. They just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary last Sunday.

After retiring in 1988 Doris spent many hours giving service to others. She served a work mission for her church at the LDS Employment Office, and continued working there for a total of 15 years. She also served in the Portland, Oregon Temple for ten years until health problems forced her to resign. She shared her many talents by sewing, knitting, and crocheting many projects for the LDS Humanitarian program. Some of her loving efforts included crocheted leprosy bandages, baby booties, blankets, baby sleepers, toddler’s jumpers, stuffed toys, receiving blankets, and many other projects despite crippling rheumatoid arthritis.

Doris endured many trials during her life. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1979. Her youngest son, Randy, died in a traffic accident in 1980. Her oldest son, Ervin, died in an industrial fire while working as an electrician in 1992. Ervin’s youngest son, Brian, died from a fall near Crown Point in 1995 when he was just 18 years old. Her son-in-law, Michael (whom she considered a son) died in 2004 due to health problems.

Still there were many blessings in her life. She had four grandchildren, Heidi, Mathew, Brian, and Jason. She became a great-grandmother in 1998 when Rebekah was born. Jacob, Lucia, Ava, and Rachel came over the next seven years, and in 2010 her last two great-grandchildren, Hannah and Mia, were born. No one enjoyed a new baby more than Doris, and she enriched their lives with beautifully crocheted afghans and many other homemade gifts.

Doris bought savings bonds for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren on their birthdays and for Christmas. Recently she related a childhood experience that might account for the importance of savings bonds in her life. She said that when she was ten years old she weeded for an Uncle Bill who promised to buy her a savings bond if his crops came in good. He made good on that promise and she said that to this day, she still hates weeds.

In July 2011, doctors found that her cancer had returned. She was diagnosed with lung cancer and began weekly chemo treatments. In May 2012 it was confirmed that cancer had metastasized to her brain. She did have 15 full-brain radiation treatments in June, but she lost her battle against cancer on August 28, 2012.

Every where she went people commented on her beautiful smile. She will always be remembered for her love, and her desire to do things for others. She will be lovingly remembered and dearly missed by all those who knew her. No doubt she has now returned with honor.