Obituary of Andrew Shaw

Andrew Shaw, 62, of Sarasota, passed away Friday, September 28th, in Greenville, SC. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 4, 1949. He is survived by wife, Natalia, sons, Anson and Hayden, step-sons Vladimir and Jay, granddaughter, Zoey Layne, sisters, Dixie Neuhaus, of Avon Lake, Ohio, and Rima Bellan, of Cashiers, NC, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. His parents, Norman and Lois, and brothers, Ramond, Alan and Paul, predeceased him. Andy was a graduate of Sarasota High School, Duke University, Phi Beta Kappa, and Duke Law School, with honors. He was a senior shareholder for 25 years in the Sarasota law firm of Fergeson, Skipper, Shaw, Keyser, Baron and Tirabassi, P.A., heading the firm's litigation department until the summer of 2000. He concentrated in construction litigation and was an exceptional advocate in serving his clients' needs. While enjoying the practice of law, Andy always found time to nurture his passion for automobiles, particularly those manufactured by Ford Motor Company. He had helped put himself through college selling Fords while a student at Duke. In December 1997, he bought the then-defunct Ford franchise for Jackson County, NC, and opened a brand new facility located on East Main Street in Sylva across the street from the newly opened Wal-Mart Superstore. Later, in December 2001, he partnered with Larry Hinton to open Andy Shaw Ford, with a clear focus to serve Jackson County for all of its automobile needs. Since that time, Andy Shaw Ford has earned numerous awards for its commitment to customer service, including the prestigious President's Award from Ford Motor Company. Andy remained active in community activities with a particular focus on helping animals. He was active with the Blue Ridge Education Foundation, the Sarasota Humane Society and with other organizations focused on placing animals with good homes. He was also deeply involved with saving gopher tortoises. Andy will be interred near his parents and siblings in Sarasota. A Memorial Service for friends and family to celebrate Andy's life is planned for Thursday, October 4th, beginning at 7:00pm at Appalachian Funeral Home in Sylva, North Carolina. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that recognition be given to the Sarasota Humane Society or the Blue Ridge Education Foundation. The family will receive friends from 6 until 7:00 PM prior to the Service at the Funeral Home. An online registry is available at www.appalachianfuneralservices.com . .