Marilyn Hickle Shaw

Marilyn H. Shaw passed away peacefully at the age of 94 in her beloved Mile High City. Born Marilyn Lee Hickle in Dubuque, Iowa, she was the daughter of Joseph L. Hickle and Myrtle R. Charles, and younger sister to James C. Hickle (deceased 1971, 1974 and 1982, respectively). In addition to being a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Marilyn was an artist, a citizen scientist and a mycology consultant who for 30+ years performed all-hours, on-call poisonous mushroom identification for individuals and poison centers throughout the Western United States.

From roots in Barton County, Kansas, Marilyn’s family spent time in Wichita and various other locales before settling in Denver in 1936, around the age of 8. A child of the dust bowl, Marilyn had vivid memories of “Black Sunday” (April 14, 1935) and time on the road as her father sought work during the great depression. Her defining characteristics of independence and self-reliance (not to mention abhorrence of waste) likely arose from these formative experiences. After a time in Denver, Marilyn’s father suggested Arizona as a new, potentially hospitable destination, but her mother put her foot down and refused to move any more. This suited Marilyn, who loved the exposed layers of ancient sediment tilted up west of Denver and the fact you could see actual dinosaur footprints preserved in steeply angled sandstone. Throughout her life, Marilyn never tired of the Queen City of the Plains, the confluence of two rivers at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.

Marilyn attended South High School and later the University of Colorado, where she graduated in 1950 with a love of art, life-long friendships and a degree in Fine Art Painting. Her early career as a customer service representative, trainer, and later business office supervisor for Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph honed her organization skills, penchant for documentary note-taking, and a discerning eye for efficiency and service quality she freely shared in later life. She met and married Stuart Shaw in 1958, always saying they were, “like two peas in a pod,” (even after arrival of their son Benjamin made it three in 1960), until Stuart’s passing in 1985. The couple built a mountain cabin—Marilyn pounding roofing nails while pregnant—where the family subsequently spent many happy summers together.

At home, Marilyn filled the house with creativity and art. She gravitated toward arts organizations and had many years involvement with the Denver Art Museum, first as a docent, becoming Art Education Board member and Research Chair in 1966 and receiving the inaugural Scholar of the Museum Award in 1973. In addition to the educational program, a string of projects including annual dinners and fundraising events allowed Marilyn to showcase her creativity and formidable talents. She commissioned and coordinated local artists to paint individual panels on the construction barricade as DAM’s first landmark Gio Ponti building took shape. Later thrilled by the Libeskind building, she remained a supporter and Friend of the Museum up until her death.

Marilyn’s love of mycology was kindled by the abundant fruiting of fungi around the cabin and an 80-page field guide first published by the Denver Museum of Natural History in 1966. As mushrooms were matched to photos and spore prints collected on every surface, some specimens were flagged as purportedly delectable edibles. Stuart, however, put his foot down saying, “we’re not eating any mushrooms you picked in the forest until you take a class!” Hence began Marilyn’s many-year affiliation with the Colorado Mycological Society (CMS). As it happened, she and Stuart took the class together; this led to many years of forays, conferences and the annual mushroom fair which exposed the whole family to the thrill of the hunt, joys of photography and subtleties of identification. Marilyn eventually taught identification, became CMS Education Chair (1985), representative to the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) and member of NAMA’s toxicology committee (1983). She was awarded the NAMA President’s Award in 1996 and Knighton Meritorious Service Award in 2000. Both NAMA and the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center (RMPDC) conveyed Lifetime Achievement Awards to Marilyn.

Marilyn also had a lengthy involvement and years of dedicated service as a Hospitality Ambassador at Denver International Airport. Though she was initially indignant at the waste of, “a perfectly good airport,” at Stapleton, she was eventually won over by DIA’s innovative architecture and prominent incorporation of public art. Involved in tours of the building and art installations during DIA’s delayed opening between 1993 and 1995, Marilyn became a member of the inaugural class of DIA Hospitality Ambassadors when the airport finally opened. She logged thousands of hours over many years well into her 80’s, assisting harried travelers with directions and tips on airline procedures, while conveying finer points of airport design and construction facts to those who had a little extra time.

Now, sadly, our time with Marilyn has come to an end—except of course when we hold her in our hearts and our memories. Marilyn is survived by her son Benjamin, granddaughter Ruby and grandson Jasper Shaw. We remember and are inspired by her enthusiasm for artistic creativity and appreciation of the natural world, her generosity with her knowledge and her tireless service.

If you would like to receive updates regarding a memorial in Denver, expected early January 2023, please visit:

https://forms.gle/j31MJdGe3k5Z1Qh47

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Marilyn’s honor to:

Friends of Dinosaur Ridge

Denver Botanic Gardens

The Denver Art Museum

Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver

Denver Museum of Nature & Science