Beryl Brinkman Shaw

Lois Beryl Brinkman Shaw, 106, passed away on September 21, 2020 in the comfort of her home. Beryl was born on May 12, 1914 in Pittsburgh, PA to Irvin A. Brinkman and Minnie Snyder Brinkman. She attended Harrisonburg State Teachers' College (now JMU in Virginia) with piano and voice scholarships. She then taught elementary school in Bethel, PA for six years until 1939 when she married David Carey Shaw, of Sampson County, NC. They settled in Raleigh and attended West Raleigh Presbyterian Church where Beryl taught Sunday School and sang in the choir.

Beryl loved to read from an early age; she composed poetry, enjoyed horseback riding and good music, especially classical. An accomplished pianist, she taught piano lessons on her baby grand piano to many children in the Laurel Hills neighborhood. She loved her grandchildren, and helped homeschool five of them who lived next door. She loved beauty, especially colorful flowers, and delighted in arranging them.

In middle age, after she came to know the Lord, Beryl began studying the Bible, and eventually taught a women's Bible study group. She participated in several home prayer groups for years. In her seventies, she composed words and music to twenty wonderfully creative songs, hymns and spiritual songs based on Scripture. She was always faithful and generous with her limited resources to support Christian missions and ministries. She had a listening ear, and many were blessed as they visited with her in front of the fireplace in her farmhouse kitchen.

Beryl lost her beloved husband, David, in 1980 after faithfully taking care of him for several years during his declining health. Her only sibling, Ethel Brinkman Ainsley, died in 1998.

She is survived by daughters Madeline Shaw, Guenn Shaw, Susan Shaw Holler (David) and Robin Shaw Camu (Colin); nine grandchildren: Jocelyn Holler Smith, Caleb Holler, Rhea Holler, Rory Holler; Basil Camu, Stuart Camu, Kyle Camu, Cedric Camu, Lila Camu; and ten great-grandchildren: Abishai Smith, Tabitha Smith, Christopher Conley-Smith, Lydia Smith, Dominic Smith, Lucia Smith, Tavish Camu, Hugo Camu, Jasper Camu and Joaquin Holler.

Services have been arranged at the Family Home on Laurel Hills Road in Raleigh on Thursday, September 24, 2020 at 10:00 am. Even though this will be an outdoor service - please wear a face mask. For those unable to attend, the service will be recorded and posted afterwards on the Facebook Page of Mitchell Funeral Home at Raleigh Memorial Park. (You may select the hyperlink below - under Donations - to be taken to the Video of Thursday's Service.)

Burial will be at Harmony Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Harrells/Kerr, NC (Sampson County) with Carter Funeral Home of Garland, NC assisting.

If you would like to leave a favorite memory of Beryl or a message of condolence to her family, you may do so below within "add a memory".