Honoring Jill Shaw

April 13, 1934 — July 15, 2025

Jill Douglas Shaw, passed away peacefully in Sydney, Australia on July 15, 2025. She was 91.

Born on April 13, 1934, in Cowra, New South Wales, Australia, Jill was the younger of two children, her older brother Angus (deceased) being six years old.  Her father Douglas was an electrical engineer and because of work and later his service during WW2 she moved several times as a child. During this period of change she developed her love of cats.

In 1952 at age 17 Jill graduated from Meridan School in Sydney and attended the University of Sydney, studying Bachelor of Arts, graduating in 1955. This was a major achievement for a woman at the time. Jill then worked as librarian from 1955 to 1962 at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). It is there she met her future husband briefly for the first time John Shaw (deceased) who was a young academic at the University. John then moved overseas and on return met Jill again and their romance blossomed into marriage in 1959.

The couple went on to have three children, Douglas (born 1966), Cameron (born 1968, deceased), and Hamish (born 1972). John had gone on to become the Foundation Professor of Town Planning at UNSW. Tragically he died at age 50 in 1977. Having lost her father previously in 1955, then son and husband, Jill showed incredible strength in raising two children as a single mother and drew on support of her mother Danny and older brother Angus.

In the late 80’s and 90’s, Jill worked in various clerical roles while raising Douglas and Hamish to adulthood. The family was very close and most days were full of debate, banter and humor, Jill’s sense of humor being a core trait throughout her life.

As Doug and Hamish reached adulthood and moved away she led an active independent life surrounded by cats, books and her favourite television and radio shows. She frequently attended adult education especially in areas such as philosophy. Hamish moved out of Australia in 1998 and with that Jill traveled the world with Hamish’s family, wife Jennifer, son Cameron and daughter Evangeline visiting many countries including Hong Kong, China, USA, Singapore, New Zealand and the UK, sometimes with her son Doug. Probably her favourite trip was to Scotland where she had ancestors and the home of her favourite tipple Scotch Whisky!

Jill sold the family home in 2010 aged 76 and moved to Glebe where she lived a robust life until 2022 when at age 88 she moved into aged care due to illness.

An incredible woman, who never let tough circumstances hold her back and always enjoyed life and company with her family and close friends, we miss her greatly.