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Ted Richard Shaw, longtime South Pasadena resident, businessman, civic leader, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, died in his sleep Feb. 1 in Cayucos, California. He and his family were visiting the Central California town for the funeral of his brother-in-law. He was 75.
He was born July 20, 1944, in Alhambra, California, to parents John and Julia (Abbate) Shaw. He attended Holy Family Catholic School in South Pasadena and graduated from St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge. He attended Citrus College in Glendora and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He married Joan Monson on August 24, 1963.
Shaw began his career working as an insurance agent in 1986. In 1988, he opened Shaw, Moses, Mendenhall Insurance Agency in South Pasadena with two partners. He built the company into a thriving, multifaceted, multi-state agency. He was the recipient of numerous industry awards, including the H.K. Dent Society Safeco Award in 2010. He sold the business in 2016 to daughter Sandy Miranti and her husband Mark and daughter Janet Benjamin. Mark Miranti serves as the company president.
Shaw was heavily involved in the City of South Pasadena, serving as a councilmember for three terms and three times as mayor. He and other leaders began the city’s iconic 4th of July Festival of Balloons Parade and festivities almost 40 years ago. He was a major supporter of the South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Committee, which builds the oldest self-built float in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. He and his wife Joan have received many awards for their civic contributions.
Shaw is survived by his wife Joan Shaw; daughter Sandy Miranti her husband Mark Miranti; daughter Janet Benjamin and her husband Rob Benjamin; son-in-law Timothy Stratz and wife Charlotte Maya-Stratz; mother Julia Shaw; sister Julie Smith; brother John Shaw; and eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter Debbie Marie Stratz.
Services will be held starting at 12 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 24, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 1527 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena, California 91030. Following the services, a celebration of Shaw’s life and reception will be held at Annandale Golf Club, 1 North San Rafael Ave., Pasadena, California 91105.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Committee, PO Box 3662, South Pasadena, CA 91031.
