Josie Ione (Taylor) Shaw

Josie Ione (Taylor) Shaw was born October 5, 1939, to Wallace and Wilma (Butler) Taylor in Sabinsville, Pennsylvania. Her parents later divorced and she was placed into foster care with several of her siblings. Her parents both remarried and had more children. There was a total of 19 brothers and sisters.

She married Walter Harms in 1958, they had the honey business and traveled to and from California with the bees. To this union, four children were born. They later divorced. She was worked as a waitress while remaining in Malta.

She moved to Minnesota and met and married Bill Shaw in 1972. They were married for 35 years until his passing in 2007. She worked in the Hillcrest nursing home in Mankato, MN for 31 years. She said she had to retire before she ended up joining the residents! She enjoyed gardening and flowers in her spare time and visiting with friends. She was an avid fan of the Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Vikings and enjoyed watching WWF Wrestling. They took their children on many adventures over the summers and traveled to visit their children and grandchildren in Montana on their vacations.

In 2008 she returned to Montana to be near her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed joining friends and family for coffee and visiting, watching the news and weather, completing puzzle books, and playing Yahtzee and solitaire. She was proud to tell everyone she had four children, 16 grandchildren, and 34 great-grandchildren.

She fought a tough battle against breast cancer but had no energy to fight leukemia. She is survived by three siblings- Pauline Erkle, Janice Harms, and Lawrence Rausch, numerous nieces and nephews; Sisters-in-law- Anneliese Moore, Bernice Taylor, and Linda Rausch. Her 4 children; Walter (Brigitte) Harms, Fallon, MT, William (Kay) Harms and Twilla Johannesen of Malta, and Fred (Karen) Harms, Forsyth, MT., 16 grandchildren, and 33 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by several siblings and their spouses, numerous nieces and nephews, her husbands, son-in-law, Paul Johannesen, and grandson Kameron Martin.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Senior Citizens Center in Malta or give a gift toward senior meals or meals on wheels in her memory.

There will be a luncheon to follow after the service at the Malta VFW Club.