Obits

Dennis Beaumont Shaw

The light of our lives has gone to the great mess deck in the sky. Dennis Beaumont Shaw passed away on March 20, 2016, after 93 wonderful years of life, love and laughter. He was born in 1922 in Worcester, England.

A veteran of the Second World War, he served in the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean, Indian, Atlantic, Middle Eastern and Pacific theatres of operation. Soon after the war, he was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, where he served until 1971. He then became training manager at Nova Scotia Power Corporation.

He was a devout Anglican, a member of Church of Saint Andrew, Cole Harbour and a past Warden of Church of the Holy Spirit, Dartmouth. He also served on the executive of the Friends of the Bishop. He was passionately involved in the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, the Anglican Church of Canada’s agency for sustainable development, relief, refugees and global justice.

An active Mason, he was a member of Virgin Lodge No. 3 and was master of the Lodge in 1963. He was the District Deputy Grand Master of the first Halifax City District in 1978 and the grand representative to the Grand Lodge of South Australia.

Until his death, he was a member of the Atlantic Chapter of the Canadian Naval Air Group and was national president in 1990. He was also on the Shearwater Aviation Museum Foundation Board of Directors for many years. He was a member of Centennial Branch No. 160 of the Royal Canadian Legion. Additionally, he maintained an interest in politics and was a member of the Dartmouth South Progressive Conservative Association. During the 1940s, Dennis was instrumental in the formation of the Shearwater Players and produced, directed and appeared in many naval theatrical productions. During the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, he was in high demand as a master of ceremonies of local theatre productions and appeared with most leading Nova Scotian performers. He also repeatedly held the position of MC for the Senior Citizen Show sponsored by The Chronicle-Herald and Mail-Star.

He was predeceased by his wife, Helen (née Fox) and is survived by sister, Doreen Pritchard, Worcester, England; a son, Robert (Sheri Ostrynski); and three daughters, Barbara (Paul Kent), Joanne (Steve Nelson), Wendy Calear, Adelaide, Australia. He is also survived by four granddaughters, Denise, Kelly, Julia and Jessica. His most recent joy was his great-grandson, Camden, with a second great-grandchild expected in April.

 

Fair winds and a following sea, Chief.




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