Donnie Ray Shaw, age 70, of Sterling, Virginia entered eternal rest with the Lord on June 14, 2020, after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was a faithful member of his Washington, D.C. Church, Zion Baptist Church, and a friend to many people far and wide across the globe. Donnie was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on December 16, 1949.
Donnie Ray Shaw (Courtesy Photo)
He graduated from Walnut Hill High School in 1967. He attended Bishop College where he obtained a degree in Chemistry in 1971. While at Bishop College, he was initiated in Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Gamma Mu chapter and lived up to its motto, “Culture for Service and Service for Humanity.” He graduated from Princeton University College of Geoscience in 1974 with a Masters of Art degree in Geoscience. He did advanced studies at East Texas University. Donnie worked for 45 years as a Geologist for the U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management from 1982 until retiring on January 31, 2020. While there, results from his scientific research was published in the Geological Survey Bulletin.
Donnie was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. He served two terms successfully as president and treasurer of his Zion Baptist Church Senior Choir, and was a dedicated member of the church’s Human Needs Ministry, Pastor’s Aid Ministry, and the Nominations Committee. His philanthropy extended beyond the church and included Princeton University and many charitable organizations.
Donnie’s greatest joys were his family, raising orchids, cooking mouth-watering scrumptious meals for family and friends, and guiding and supporting his beloved nieces and nephews, many of whom were recipients of his generous financial donations for a college education.
Donnie is preceded in death by his beloved hard-working mother, Ester Ree Shaw Chaetham who taught him to appreciate nature, and whose sacrifice and dedication to single parenthood greatly impacted him. His father, Ollie Moore and his brother Ricky Shaw also preceded him in death. He is survived by his brothers Joe Draper and Michael Shaw, their wives, nieces and nephews and numerous other family members.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 27, at 11 AM, at Heavenly Gates Funeral Home, 1339 Jewell Street, Shreveport, LA, 71107. Memorial donations can be made to Oral Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation, (www.WeAreOraLee.org).