JoAnn (Lohre) Shaw, age 89 of Dovray, passed away Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at her home. Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, January 23, 2023 at Immanuel Baptist Church in Westbrook. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at the Westbrook Cemetery at a later date. Stephens Funeral Service – Westbrook Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

JoAnn Gwendolyn (Lohre) Shaw was born March 2, 1933 to Eddie and Elvina Lohre on their family farm in Storden Township. She attended two country schools and graduated from Storden Consolidated School in 1951. On August 16, 1951, JoAnn married Perry Shaw at Old Westbrook Church. Over the years, Perry, JoAnn and 5 children made several moves – starting out in the Dovray area – to St. Paul and then back to the Dovray area. JoAnn kept busy at home with 5 children but started working outside the home at the Westbrook Egg Plant where she worked for 25+ years, leaving that job in 1990 at the age of 57. She continued to work at various jobs including painting, wallpapering, making salads for Dovray Manor, working for home health care and other independent cleaning jobs. “Retirement” and “slowing down” were words not in her vocabulary. Her working career ended at 86 when she developed heart health issues. It’s an understatement to say JoAnn loved to talk. Anyone that knew her knows she could talk your leg off and not take a breath! She could tell one story, followed by another, and another. Her later years were spent close to home and she loved that her sisters got together on a weekly basis if weather permitted. JoAnn was raised in the era of the 1930s depression and the end of WWII. She grew up in the Old Westbrook Church learning scripture, Bible verses and hymns in confirmation. Now married – in her late 20s – and raising 4 kids on the Shaw family farm, her sister Muriel explained to her that she could have a personal and real relationship with Christ and it was up to her to decide if she wanted Christ in her life. JoAnn prayed that night and accepted Jesus. Church and church family became important to her in later years. And with her encouragement, the Lord has blessed her entire family.

JoAnn is survived by her children: Deborah (Greg) Gonzalez of Apple Valley, Robin Shaw of Rosemount, Michael (Kirsten) Shaw of Mesa, AZ, Randy (Tanya) Shaw of Dovray and Kent (Jodi) Shaw of Peyton, CO; 15 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; siblings: Zola Wood of Windom, Darlene Arfsten of Storden, Muriel Link of Sioux Falls, Evelyn Lohre and LeRoy Lohre of Greenville, SC; sister-in-law Jean Lohre of Westbrook and many other relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband Perry; brother Elverne Lohre; Effie Lunn, LuCille Christensen, Leonard Lohre and Harold Lohre.