The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-04-20
P. A. Shaw
PassesAway

Philip A. Shaw died last Monday
April 16, at his home in Oakley, af-
ter an illness of many weeks. "Un-
Gle Phil" as he was known to all of
us, was little past 76 years of age,
and so far as the writer can learn
never made an enemy in all those
years.
He came to Oakley about forty
years ago, at the age of thirty-six,
making his home with a brother
who had a cattle ranch on Trapper
creek. Uncle PHIL had been a tel
egraph operator in Missouri and
gave up that occupation, presuma-
bly,, on account of poor health.
While telegrapher, he had become
an expert penman, an accomplish
ment which he retained. The west
gave him back good health. The
ranch which he visited eventually
came into his possession and he
spent many years on Trapper creek.
Just across country, on Goose
Creek, was the I'D ranch, presided
over then by James F. Devine. And
here developed that loyal comrade-
ship of the two cattlemen = which
the writer regards as the finest
thing he has seen in Oakley.
Uncle Phil" had such rare and
distinctive individuality that his
place can not be filled. Merely to
catalog his virtues conveys no ade-
quate idea of his charming person
ality. For instance, honesty in ''Un-
Gle PHIL was a more beautiful quail
ity that the kind of honesty we
often meet. Some people are honest
merely because they believe honesty
is the best policy. Not so "Unclc
Phil" He was not honest merely as
a matter of policy, but because he
had too much love for everybody to
injure anybody.
AS one of the speakers at the fu-
neral said, Uncle PHIL was inter
ested in the welfare of others. He
QiSllhtQ " lCdt bSduQdi, anu nOuAu
never repeat it. Perhaps not one
man in thousand has such a good
record as he in this respect He re-
joiced in the good deeds of his
neighbors; he would not discuss
their dark deeds.
uncle PHIL had an active sense
of humor and was a great lover of
life He never forgot how to play.
Although he was a bachelor, he un-
derstood children better than most
parents, and all the children seemed
to love him instinctively. Back of
his sense of humor, was a great love I
of life. He did not grow tired of
living. 1t was just his body that
grew tired-not his mind, not his
SOUL And back of his cheerfulness,
which never failed, was child's
wonder at the beauty of the earth
and the wholesomeness of friend
ship.
When Uncle Phil" came to the
cattle country, he found west
somewhat wild and woolly, but the
roughness touched the surface only
of his nature. His personality was
never made coarse and common.
His heart remained like the heart of
a little child. He was not a church
man, but he was (perhaps uncon-
sciously) a very good Christian
he possessed many fine qualities [
which all churches are striving to 1
mpart. These are qualities which ,
40 deity can afford to cast as rub {
Dish to the void. I
Funeral services were held We'd $
lesday in the Second ward chapel, E
lnder the direction of Bishop G. H. !
Severe. The opening prayer was b
5wanty Nelson, the benediction by 9
Charles L. Haight. Touching trfb- I
ties were paid to "Uncle PHIL by +
he Bishop, DR.. Oldham, Robert /
smith, j. J. Millard, Sr., and B. p. S
Iowells. Good music was furnished g
" the choir, a quartet and special {
Iuet. The burial was in the Oakley a
emetery. "