Hugh Joseph Shaw

Hugh Joseph Shaw (1949-2026), beloved husband, father, encourager and friend to many, passed from this world to the great Yankee Stadium in the sky on Jan. 30, 2026. Hugh was dedicated to his family and, in particular, to his wife of 54 years, Rosemary. He was known for his generosity of spirit, calm demeanor and wisdom, which made him a source of inspiration for all who were privileged to know him.

Hugh was born in East Meadow, Long Island, to Catherine and Hugh Shaw on Easter Sunday. He grew up in Queens, New York, alongside his four siblings. He spent his first years in St. Albans, where he first heard doo-wop groups singing on street corners. They would influence his love of doo-wop and of music for the rest of his life. His love of baseball also first developed in St. Albans, growing as he did.

Hugh spent his teen years in Richmond Hill, three doors down from the elevated Subway, watching the New York Yankees on his family's black-and-white television with his father and brother, Charlie. At age 11, he took the subway to the Bronx and saw that the grass at Yankee Stadium was actually green. There he saw his idol: "7" Mickey Mantle. For all of Hugh's later years in Alabama, "Yanks7" graced his license plate.

With a strong religious tradition in the Shaw family, Hugh spent six years studying to be a priest until a friend said he would be a better daddy than a "father." He commuted to Fordham University in the Bronx while working as a bartender, later saying he learned more about people from his bartender work than from all his classes taught by the great Jesuits.

Hugh met Rosemary one month after graduating from Fordham, where he earned a BA in Psychology. They were engaged five months later during a Johnny Mathis concert at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel during "The Twelfth of Never." They married exactly one year later, on Nov. 20, 1971. With a modest reception at Catherine and Hugh's home, and a winning ticket on the 1971 Belmont Stakes, Hugh and Rosemary moved to Clearwater, Florida, the next day. With no business experience, Hugh got a job at First Federal Savings and Loan of Clearwater, which later became Fortune Bank. His only qualification is that he attended the college Vince Lombardi attended, which impressed his hiring manager.

Hugh specialized in mortgage lending, starting as a management trainee and rising to president/CEO of Fortune Mortgage Company. His bank was acquired by AmSouth Bank (now Regions Bank). He headed their mortgage banking division and retired as executive vice president in 2004, the first day he was eligible. Hugh wasn't one for corporate bureaucracy, but he loved helping people buy their first homes and keep them during tough times. After retirement, he continued the volunteer work he started in his working years. He simultaneously served on the boards of directors of two national nonprofit organizations that financed housing for minorities and low-to-moderate-income homeowners: Neighborhood Housing Services of America in Oakland, California, and Community Housing in Decatur, Georgia. Hugh chaired the committees that did "the boring stuff" (his words): strategic planning and audits.

But none of his work accomplishments came close to what he considered his most important success: his 54-year marriage to the love of his life, Rosemary; their three special, successful children: Erin, Ryan, and Megan; and in his later years, spoiling their three grandchildren: Nate, Henry, and Catherine. As he said at Rosemary at their 50th anniversary celebration at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, he believed blessings came in three.

Hugh and Rosemary loved travel and passed on that love to their family. When the kids were young, Disney World was a regular destination, and as they grew, their travels took them further, with trips to Europe, Japan, and Hawaii. After retirement, Hugh and Rosemary increased their cruise travel, reaching nearly 300 days at sea, including a 35-day North Atlantic cruise and a 30-day Mediterranean trip. But their favorite trips were the short ones to visit the grandkids in Hoover, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi.

Hugh loved photography and maintained the old-fashioned habit of sending prints to family and friends, which they cherished. His favorite music was doo-wop, but he kept about every genre of music on his playlists of more than 5,000 songs. And he loved telling stories about attending Woodstock - with a suitcase.

The New York Yankees were always his favorite team, from Mickey Mantle's 1950s days to Derek Jeter's 2000 era. He loved spring training games in Tampa, Florida, and memorable visits to Yankee Stadium. He was at home in New York, Clearwater and Birmingham, and knew how to find the best piece of pizza - and Nathan's Hot Dogs - in all of these places.

Hugh was proud to be apolitical, registered for more than 50 years as "no party." He lived out his values, serving as a model of service, honesty, a strong work ethic, fairness and compassion. Known for his intellect and patience, he was the first one to give counsel to family or friends in need, rarely raised his voice, and quietly worked to make great change in the world. In his later years, he served as a dedicated caregiver to Rosemary, using the skills that served him so well earlier in life to care for her as she had cared for their family. Doctors marveled at his record-keeping and attention to detail, often calling him the "#1 caregiver."

He will be greatly missed, and his family takes comfort in knowing that he has been reunited with his parents, Catherine and Hugh, and his brother, Charlie. One of Hugh's favorite musicals "Les Misérables" features the line: "To love another person is to see the face of God." After a lifetime of loving people, today Hugh sees the entirety of God.

The family is most thankful for the incredible care of his medical team - especially the compassionate doctors, nurses and staff of the UAB Palliative and Comfort Care Unit.

Hugh is survived by wife, Rosemary; daughter Erin Street (Shane); daughter Megan James (Ricky) of Ridgeland, Mississippi; son Ryan (Jason) of Los Angeles; sisters Ann Cahill and Catherine Shaw, and many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends in New York, Florida, Alabama and all over the world.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, Feb. 6, at Prince of Peace Catholic Church (4600 Preserve Pkwy., Hoover, Alabama). Visitation begins at 1 p.m., followed by a Mass at 2 p.m. A reception with food and drink takes place immediately after the service.

Those wishing to honor Hugh's memory may make a memorial gift to Stewpot Community Services (stewpot.org); The UAB Center for Palliative and Supportive Care (uab.edu/advancement); The Trevor Project (give.thetrevorproject.org); or a charity of your choice.