I can't begin to express my sadness about Professor Shaw's passing. I am sorry only to see this post now when the opportunity to attend services is no longer possible. I know her children and grandchildren must be deeply mourning. I want you all to know that I was so fortunate to have been one of her students. I learned so much from her and model my own teaching style on what I learned from her. When I was applying to graduate school, we had lunch together in Cambridge because I had asked her to write a recommendation for me. In that single lunch together, she spoke words to me that actually changed my life for the better. I will never, ever forget her. And my own children and students know about her as well.

I loved the classes I took with Professor Shaw at Wheaton (1989-1993). She was my favorite English professor. I am saddened to hear of her death.

I have three distinct memories of Professor Shaw:  Because of her policy of lowering an essay grade a full mark for each and every fragment or comma splice, I finally buckled down and learned to edit my papers thoroughly; during our senior seminar on George Elliot her own moral goodness and world view shone through with Elliot's; and on a Sheila-lead London theater tour the winter after I graduated, she had a rapt audience in stitches exemplifying the differences between young women and young men as students.  She was a force.

I took two courses with Sheila Shaw at Wheaton back in the late seventies. She was a true intellectual who gently chided us if we came to class unprepared. I found myself thinking of her teaching style when I became an English teacher. I often thought of dropping her a note and letting her know what a lasting effect she had on me, and I ruefully regret not having done so.

Sheila was a much loved member of the Memoir Class some years ago and graced the class with caring stories about her family.   Each of the stories was deeply moving and we all treasured her as a friend as well as classmate.

I am surprised that Sheila passed for I enjoyed being with her so much. We shared a lot. She came to the first course at HILR I lead which was in a very cold, snowy, January ten years ago. She is an was and always will be an inspiration for me. 
Trish Hogan

I was deeply saddened to learn of Sheila's death. She was my first student at HILR — literally, the first to walk through the door of my first-ever teaching experience. Her comfort in the classroom and her encouragement of this novice, combined with our shared love of Virginia Woolf, eased my path into the realm of Study Group Leader. It was a privilege to know her, share with her. She will be deeply missed.

To Sheila's Family-
My deepest condolences. Sheila was a good friend of mine at HILR and my teacher from time to time. She was a smart, lovely, friendly and positive lady . She had overcome hurdles and was proud of that. May she remain a blessed memory  for all of us.
Arnold Messing

I will miss Sheila's company at lunch in the HILR common room this semester.  At the same time, it is good that she left us while she was happily preparing to lead another course.

My sincere condolences to the family of Sheila Shaw. Regretfully I never took a course offered by Sheila, but whenever I saw her at HILR, she always greeted me and everyone else with the biggest smile and wonderful comment,  She will be sincerely missed.

Sheila was one of my favorite colleagues in the Wheaton English Department.  I came to know her best when we co-taught part of her Novel course; she taught a representative novel of the 19th century and I taught one of the 20th century.  A demanding teacher with a good sense of humor, she held the large class in rapt attention.

When Sheila invited my family and me to her house on Newfound Lake in New Hampshire, I appreciated another side of Sheila in the caring way she interacted with her family.   That I don't remember any cloudy days up there is a mark of the Sheila Shaw I came to know.

Deepest condolences to her loving family.

Richard Pearce, Professor of English Emeritus
 and Jean Pearce

To the family of Sheila Shaw: my thoughts and prayers are with all of you at this difficult time, I am here if ever you need anything.  God bless you all

Sheila was a wonderful colleague and provided humor and encouragement in equal doses to junior faculty at Wheaton who entered her orbit.  Please accept my condolences for your loss.

Sheila was a favorite colleague of mine.  She combined great knowledge with wit.  She was a source of strength when we served together on the college Hearings and Appeals Committee.  Her family has my sympathy on the loss of Sheila.
John Walgreen, Professor Emeritus

To the Family of Shelia Shaw:  Please accept my condolences on the loss of your beloved family member, Sheila Goldstein Shaw.  As you all know, she was a most remarkable woman and superb teacher.  I had the privilege of taking one of her courses at the Harvard Institute for Learnng and it was a truly memorable experience.  We read Dickens "Hard Times" and "Middlemarch."  I could hardly wait to get to class each week.  Sheila was so gracious and so knowledgeable.  I also had the pleasure of having lunch with her one day in the Common Room and it was a delight.  What a heavy loss for each of you. With heartfelt sympathy, , Nancy Greene Souther/ aka Catherine Souther

Taken from the wonderful site "Callers in the Parlor" a Wheaton Alum facebook page: What I loved best about Professor Sheila Shaw (besides her style of teaching, wit that never harmed anyone and love of the subject matter) was that she valued enthusiasm as much as talent. She understood that not every student was going to be brilliant, but with proper fanning of the flames, some of us would smolder into a burning life-long love of literature. Thank you Professor Shaw for the wonderful gift.

Currently, there are quite a few rememberances on Facebook from students of Professor Shaw's from the Wheaton classes in the late '80s.  I was one of her students, and I'm sure that I would not be a college English professor today had I not studied with Professor Shaw.  She was a rigorous, passionate, witty, brllliant woman who inspired generations live a rich life of the mind as she did.  My deep condolences to the families.  I wish I could pay my respects in person.

OBITUARY

Sheila Shaw

May 1, 1931 – August 26, 2013

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