Dear Friends-

I thought it might be nice to share William’s obituary with you all.

My dear friend Amanda Converse wrote this beautiful piece after sitting with us around our living room, sharing stories and memories of our most beloved William.

She somehow found the words when we could barely find any ourselves. She captured so much of who he was: his spirit, his energy, his humor, his huge heart, and all the little things that made him William.

For those of you who never had the chance to know him, I hope reading this brings you a little closer to my boy.

And for those of you who did know him, I hope it brings him close again.

xx

Susie

Obituary

William Wolfgang Shaw, age 9, of Carlisle, MA died tragically in a ski accident in Montana on February 19, 2019 leaving a huge hole in the hearts of his family, friends and community. William was born in San Francisco on December 20, 2009 to his adoring parents, Nicholas and Susan Shaw. When he was two years old his family relocated to Massachusetts, where shortly after his brother Kai Shaw joined the family. At the time of his death, William was in the third grade at the Carlisle Public Elementary School. William was a sweet, gentle soul who loved giving hugs, laughing and making jokes, and had a quiet confidence about him. Some of his favorite activities were cooking and listening to country music with his mom and getting barbeque at Red Bones with his dad. He was also a huge Hamilton fan, knew every song and could hold his own in any rap battle. William loved books, music, playing guitar and being outdoors. He had his own sense of style and was known for his beautiful golden curls. When he put his mind to something, he was determined to accomplish it. He considered himself an “extreme sports guy,” reveling in activities like mountain biking, skateboarding, rock climbing, parkour and skiing, and often created his own obstacle courses as a challenge for him and his younger brother Kai. To Kai he was an amazing big brother, patient and kind, his hero, constant companion and best friend. In his short life William was able to see many parts of the world: the Swiss Alps, Italy, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. He enjoyed visiting family in New York City and savored his time at the playgrounds of Central Park. He also relished his summer months at Little Island Beach on Cape Cod where his favorite activities were burying himself in the sand and 4th of July festivities. But at the end of the day, he didn’t care where he was, as long as he was with his family. Math was William’s favorite subject - he proudly received a 100% on his most recent test - and he had designs on becoming a mechanical engineer. Not only was he a good student, but in school he was also considered a role model. When a new student was placed in his class mid-year, teachers would put them next to William, because he was warm, sharing and a friend to all. Above all else he was a loving boy and he was loved; he brought his family endless amounts of joy. In addition to his parents and brother, William is survived by his maternal grandparents Leo and Therese Furfey, Falmouth, MA; paternal grandparents Charles and Gabriela Shaw, New York, NY; aunts and uncles John and Erin Furfey, Falmouth, MA; Claude Shaw and Lara Meiland-Shaw, New York, NY, Caroline Beyrard, Switzerland; cousins Leo and Eamon Furfey, Olivia and Julian Shaw, and Charles and Victoria Beyrard; and a countless number of friends and family. And all of them, along with everyone who knew and loved him will carry him in their hearts and minds for the rest of their lives. A celebration of life will be held at the First Religious Society in Carlisle located at 27 School Street on Saturday, March 2nd at 1pm, and a reception will follow at the Carlisle Public School. People are welcome to wear green, which was William’s favorite color. Private burial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donating to www.williamsbeyourselfchallenge.org . Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.