Mary Lee Shaw

Mary Lee Shaw, 98, of Palestine, IL, died August 15, 2021, at BridgePointe Health in Vincennes, IN. She was born July 22, 1923, in Lawrenceville, IL, the daughter of Chester & Anna (Kirkwood) Young. A 1941 graduate of Lawrenceville High School, she would further her education in Vincennes, where she attended business school. On May 15, 1943, she married Harold R. Beckes, who soon left to take up his country's call during WWII. When he returned, they moved to the family farm that Mary Lee would call home for many years to come. Here, they raised their five children, Cheryll, Harold Jr., Jackie, Lucinda, and Chester. They could each attest to their mother's tireless work ethic. Simply put, she wasn't one to slow down! In addition to helping around the farm, she spent who-knows-how-many hours tending to their garden and canning much of its produce. She dedicated herself to Pleasant View Church, where she served as a deacon, Sunday school teacher, and leader in the youth group and the ladies fellowship. Eventually, she decided to go back to school, earning her BS in Nursing from Eastern Illinois University. As a nurse, she cared for innumerable patients in Lawrenceville and Robinson before becoming the school nurse for Palestine CUSD #3, where she eventually retired. Mary Lee's retirement years often found her traveling throughout the United States and many other countries, soaking in the culture and the beauty of God's creation. She was, after all, a lover of beauty, as evidenced by her incredible china painting. It was a hobby that provided her and her friends with a great sense of satisfaction and joy, especially in the twilight years of her life. She also enjoyed keeping up with her friends in the Current Topics Club and was a member of the Home Extension as well. Mary Lee Shaw was a woman of strength and determination. Her life was marked by tenacity, faith, and a love that lives on in all those she leaves behind: her children & their spouses, Cheryll Lee Douglas, Harold Jr. & Judy Beckes, Jackie L. & Mark Shaw, Lucinda M. Allee, and Chester D. & Carol Beckes; her step-sons & their spouses, John S. & Patti Shaw and Paul W. & Linda Shaw; her grandchildren & their spouses, Steve & Jennifer Wolter, Matt & Julie Wolter, Dan & Jill Beckes, David & Christa Beckes, Ben & Amy Beckes, Ashley & T.J. Tingley, Stacey & Terry Benge, Keith & Michelle Allee, Teresa & Brent Barnes, Brooke & Tony Kile, Andrea & Brad Wardrip, and Aviana Beckes; her step-grandchildren & their spouses, Randy & Eileen Douglas, Shari & Boyd Taylor, David & Penny Shaw, Rachel & Graham Parish, Michael & Marci Shaw, and Douglas & Angela Shaw; 37 great-grandchildren; her brother & sister-in-law, Harold K. & Janice Young; as well as several extended family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, Chester & Anna Young; by her brother, David Young; by her first husband, Harold R. Beckes, on January 18, 1981; by her second husband, Woodrow Shaw, on March 9, 1987; and by her sons-in-law, Robert Douglas and Michael Allee. A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 18th, at the Pleasant View Cemetery, rural Palestine, IL, with Minister Rod Carie officiating. Memorials may be made to either the "Pleasant View Church" or the "Pleasant View Cemetery", with envelopes available at the cemetery. The Goodwine Funeral Home in Palestine is in charge of arrangements. For those unable to attend, a recording of Mary Lee's graveside will eventually be posted to https://www.goodwinefuneralhomes.com/live-stream/live-stream .