Anne Marie Stranahan Shaw

Anne Marie Stranahan Shaw died Saturday, May 11, 2013, at her home in Missoula, in the loving care of family, after a brave fight with cancer.

She was born May 6, 1935, in Fort Benton, to Clinton Goodwin and Marie Ethel Stranahan. Anne grew up north of Loma on the Stranahan River Ranch. She attended school in Fort Benton and graduated from Fort Benton High School in 1953. In August 1953, she and William Alfred Shaw were married in Fort Benton. Anne and Al farmed north of Carter on the Shaw family farm and lived there and in Fort Benton where they raised their five boys.

Anne was a voracious reader and her love of books led her to open the Havre Book Exchange in the Atrium Mall in Havre in 2005. She divided her time between Missoula and Havre and embraced the Havre community. Anne was a driving force in establishing a strings program in Havre and her dream of starting a community orchestra there came to fruition when she was the concert master for their first public performance, a Christmas concert last December. She also enjoyed playing in the pit orchestra for the Montana Actors' Theatre.

Anne authored two books, “Roscoe and Tooey, Montana Runaways” and “Roscoe and Tooey Ride the Bootlegger Trail.” She left unfinished two more books, one on the history of sheep in Montana and a third Roscoe and Tooey book.

Anne was always optimistic and encouraging to others and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Al, her youngest son, John August; and great-grandson, Austin. Anne is survived by her sister, Lorene Stranahan of Fort Benton; her sons, William Clinton (Penny) of Bozeman; David Edwin (Kris) of Havre; Charles Alfred (Lynn) of Missoula, and Douglas Allen (Susan) of Lawton, Okla. Anne’s grandchildren include Shannon Shaw of Billings, Weston (Nerizza) of Albertville, Minnesota; Dylan Shaw of Missoula, Craig Shaw of Havre, Kathryn Nagel of Lewisville, N.C., Jennifer (Carlos) Flores of Dublin, Ohio, Walter Nagel of Columbus, Ohio, and Kayla Fisher of Topeka, Kan., along with 13 great grandchildren.

A celebration of Anne’s life will take place May 24, 2013, 1 p.m., at the United Methodist Church in Fort Benton.

Memorials suggested to Hi-Line Arts Project c\o Sharon Dolph, 1015 11th St., Havre, MT 59501