Jerald (Jerry) L. Shaw

June 14, 1946 – October 7, 2025

Jerry Shaw grew up on a dairy farm up the Satsop Valley and said he learned everything you really need to know via the business end of Holstein cows.

After high school, Jerry attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics in 1968. After college he entered the Air Force as a pilot and saw combat in Southeast Asia winning the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Vietnam Service Medal. Later, stationed in Alaska, he had the opportunity to serve on the staff of General (then Colonel) Norman Schwarzkopf.

In 1976, he joined Aberdeen Federal Savings and Loan as a Real Estate Appraiser. He moved quickly through the organization, serving in the capacities of Loan Officer, Branch Manager, Savings Administrator, CFO, Executive Vice President and Treasurer, Chief Operating Officer, and finally, President and CEO.

Jerry had an extraordinary ability to inspire people to rise above what they believed they could accomplish, pushing them – gently or sometimes with a good-natured nudge – to see the greatness he already saw in them.

Outside the boardroom, Jerry was known for his sharp wit and mischievous sense of humor. He could make anyone laugh, often at the exact moment they needed it most. Whether he was cracking a perfectly timed joke at a family gathering or lightening the mood during a tough meeting, his humor reminded everyone that joy and hard work could coexist.

In his later years, Jerry faced the difficult challenges of Alzheimer’s disease, which sometimes changed his demeanor and made moments hard for those closest to him. Yet even in those times, his family held fast to the memories of the man who taught them strength, grit, and the importance of believing in themselves.

He is survived by his five children, Kevin (Karen Sowle) Shaw, Tracy (Rich) Travers, Jennifer Westling, Heather (Zach) Edwards, and Stephanie (Randall) Ayres, 16 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren, who will carry forward his lessons about hard work, kindness, laughter, and believing in yourself even when it feels impossible.

A memorial service will be held at 3pm on October 17, 2025, at Montesano City Hall, where family and friends will gather to celebrate a life full of laughter, leadership, and love.