June 5, 1955 - September 28, 2023
Carol Neth Shaw departed this life peacefully, with family at her side, on Thursday, September 28, 2023 after enduring several strokes in the last five years. While her journey was marked with struggles, it was eased considerably by the prayers and presence of a village of friends, family, and a special nurse who supported her at every turn. Her loved ones will be forever grateful for those many blessings.
Born June 5, 1955 in Columbus, Nebraska, to Shirley (Coble) Neth and R. Keith Neth Sr., Carol Lee was baptized and confirmed at First United Methodist Church in Omaha, and grew to develop a heart of compassion for others. She witnessed an outpouring of love and service for her parents when each faced their own health challenges, and saw Keith and Shirley sacrifice for one another and their three children. Friends from her Omaha childhood remember Carol’s warm, funny nature and how she was quick to include the new kid in school. As a teen she was active in Job’s Daughters, and, before graduating from Westside in 1973, worked in the district office where she developed an understanding of the mission of education. It was no surprise, then, that she would choose to participate in Alpha Delta Pi sorority and earn a teaching degree from the University of Nebraska in 1977.
Carol taught for two years in Columbus before signing on with Millard Public Schools, where she would spend 33 years teaching first grade or fifth grade at Bryan Elementary. Her dedication went beyond the classroom, as she worked to develop new programs, events, and opportunities to engage the neighboring community, including her signature projects, the Pumpkin Walk and the outdoor “courtyard” space where countless kids learned to care for plants and animals. Carol’s students will remember her as more than a teacher; she made each one feel special, safe, and empowered to achieve their goals. With a gift for connection, some of Carol’s closest and most enduring friendships would come from her time at Bryan, where colleagues could count on her professional expertise as well as her personal support. In her retirement, Carol worked with students at Liberty Elementary in OPS and in classrooms across the city as a substitute teacher; she truly loved her job and worked as long as she was physically able. In her final years, she especially relished time with her five grandsons.
On March 17, 1984, Carol married Joel E. Shaw of Geneseo, Illinois, at First United Methodist Church in Omaha. For over 39 years Carol and Joel were partners through the highs and lows of life, welcoming three children, and raising them in their beloved Prairie Lane neighborhood. Carol spent happy summer afternoons at the pool with the kids, and treated them to Happy Meals when Joel was on the golf course. Carol had a creative mind with an ability to see potential, in people and in things, and you could often find her in the family garage refinishing an antique or crafting holiday gifts. She loved to bake and was quick to deliver meals and treats to a neighbor or friend in need; she was always a listening ear who could offer a few laughs or words of encouragement. When their son was diagnosed with cancer in 1989, Carol and Joel faced one of the toughest challenges of their lives together, but again, Carol would witness the rallying of the community around her family, and she learned to accept help with grace. She leaned on her faith and friends, carried on, and would “pay it forward” through the years.
Of the many relationships Carol valued in her life, those with her P.E.O. sisters were among the most treasured. A charter member of Omaha’s Chapter HX since 1983, Carol believed in the mission of the organization to support women in education, and the power of the friendships forged within the sisterhood.
Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond Keith Neth and Shirley Coble Neth, in-laws Verna B. Shaw and Donald E. Shaw, and sister-in-law Joni Shaw Beck of Geneseo, IL. Survived by husband Joel E. Shaw, sister Barb (Gary) Waller, brother R. Keith Neth Jr.; children Meredith (Jared) Garwood, Jordan Shaw, Taylor (Steven) Eliason; grandchildren Joel, Jonah, Gabriel, & Levi Garwood and Ryker Eliason; in-laws Kellie Humiston Neth of Omaha, Judi (John) Heller of Orion, IL, Jill (Marty) DePauw and Howard Beck of Geneseo, IL, and Julie (Steve) Bosold of Osco, IL; many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, October 6, 2023, 10:30am at Lifegate Church, 15555 W Dodge Rd. Family will receive visitors in the hour before the service; lunch will follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Camp Coholo, an organization dear to Carol’s heart. https://tinyurl.com/campcoholo
Braman Mortuary (Southwest Chapel)
6505 S. 144 St.
Omaha, NE 68137
402-895-3400
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