Pauline Lillian Shaw of Manchester, Michigan, age 97, died Monday, August 7, 2023, at the Chelsea Retirement Community. She was born September 8, 1925, in Westford, Massachusetts, the daughter of William and Eva Mary (Goslin) Socorelis.
Pauline earned her Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from the University of Iowa. She remained an avid Hawkeye fan. During wartime she worked many jobs to pay for her education. Later, she displayed her creativity and skill in sewing custom clothing and in home decorating. One great talent was in giftwrapping. Begun at a gift shop, her talent was wonderfully expressed as her family received beautifully crafted holiday presents. She spent many years in bookstore management at Oakland Community College where she enjoyed working with students, staff and faculty, especially those interested in art. Pauline continued to enjoy drawing and painting, most often in oils and water color, throughout her life. She also delighted in flower gardening, many types of music, and reading mysteries, crime novels, literary fiction, and memoirs. Her family, neighbors, and all those she encountered will remember her as a truly kind, generous and vibrant person.
On September 10, 1949, Pauline married Robert Shaw, and he preceded her in death on March 6, 2009. Pauline and Robert enjoyed travel with trips to New England, Paris, and especially Hawaii. She is survived by her son, Timothy (Diane) Shaw of Hendersonville, TN; daughter, Pamela (Howard) Holmes of Chelsea; many beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a niece. In addition to her husband, she was also preceded in death by her parents; a brother William S. Ellis, and a son, Thomas Shaw.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, Aug.19, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Cole Funeral Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Museum of Women in the Arts, https://nmwa.org/, WRCJ Radio, https://www.wrcjfm.org/, or Detroit Public TV, https://www.dptv.org/.
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