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This is quite long so for those of you that want the cliffs notes …as I write this I can’t believe how God has blessed me with the BEST family growing up and the BEST family now.
There was a time I couldn’t open the paper and not see at least two pictures of my dad in that week’s edition. You would think that I, at a young age, would be embarrassed…is he showing off, is he trying to take the credit, is he putting the city, church, community or work over me….the answer is NEVER.
He came to almost every game or event us daughters had throughout our childhood and throughout our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren’s lives.
He never took a penny for the countless hours he gave to others but the time he spent with my mom was priceless.
I was never embarrassed, well almost never embarrassed, cuz my dad was the best. He was cool…he was funny, smart, patient, kind, loving, and yes, usually right.
He taught me in business to make a decision and don’t look back. Yes, things need to be adjusted as variables always change but he meant have faith in the decision you make because it is coming from your heart and meant to solve a problem, not create one.
You all know my dad because you were involved in some event with Ted and Joan in doing good, but the funny thing is, you all know my dad by how he made you feel. Yes, when the phone rang and it was Ted, sometimes you all thought, oh no, now what is he going to volunteer us to do….but really you know my dad because of the one on one moments he spent with you as an adviser, friend, loved one, or mentor, fellow organizer or volunteer.
He had a way of always helping – whether to make us more confident with our path, bring up a thought that we hadn’t considered, or pose a question we needed to find out the answer to. He had a way to get us to be a part of something better, something good. Doing the right thing or “being the bigger person”, “taking the high road” or “God does see”, made us all challenge ourselves to think it through and choose the good. To be the best we can be without forgetting the right and moral way to get there.
My dad did so much more than he took credit for. I love the stories about his 3 some years with Joan and Friends running all volunteer for CCD Congress. Back in those days they had to drive to the LA Archdiocese office to pick up reports so they could “do their thing,” no easy upload and download or cloud. But what I really loved was the interaction with people that my dad had.
Politely and with that smirk on his face he reminded two nuns who mischievously, but with hearts of pure love, tried to sneak in under the ropes to a packed lecture they didn’t have a ticket for. He would have held the ropes up high for them to go under if he could. What the nuns didn’t know was the fire department was watching the Convention Center to make sure they obeyed safety and fire regulations. My dad made it all okay in his special way of making even getting into trouble okay (for the nuns not me, his daughter).
Coordinating the Papal Celebration (Catholic POPE Event) at Dodger Stadium in 1987 with my mom is not talked about much when you mention Ted Shaw and it is hard to find stuff online about him, but he is there if we look. He and Joan were always there behind the scenes so we could have a good time and enjoy an event and then give that experience back by volunteering. Yes, the Pope’s event.
Volunteering was everything to my dad. Maybe because he was doing it with his beautiful bride or maybe because he loved people and showing how good it feels to help.
I tell my daughters that have worked with my sister on the SPTOR since they were very young, that one day the skill they learned of ironing leaves will come in handy. If you only knew how many of these unusual skills I have accumulated over the years.
When it comes to my sister Deb, who developed Colon Cancer at the age of 40, I remember my dad saying to me: “I don’t understand but my faith assures me that God has a plan. Just because I am not able to comprehend it right now, when I get up there to heaven, God has a lot of questions to answer.”
Dad, I know you are in heaven with all our loved ones and getting the answers to those complicated questions. Just know how much you are loved by me, my husband Mark (who you met when I was in 8th grade), Jennifer and Stephanie.
Ted Shaw led by example in so many ways. He touched so many people and as I write this I can’t believe how God has blessed me with the BEST family growing up and the BEST family now.
— Sandy (Sandra to some) Shaw Miranti – the youngest and very proud daughter of Ted Shaw.
