Artist dies after cruise accident

9:13am Thursday 22nd May 2008

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A well-known South Craven man has died five months after suffering an accident on a cruise ship.

Keith Shaw, best known for his art, gardening and amateur theatre activities, died in Airedale Hospital last Thursday.

He had injured his neck after falling out of bed during a heavy storm on a Saga Holidays cruise liner. Mr Shaw, 78, had been giving watercolour painting classes for cruise passengers.

In recent years, Mr Shaw, pictured, lived in his birthplace of Carleton, near Skipton, but during his life he was active in villages like Glusburn and Sutton. He had acted, written and produced theatrical productions involving Glusburn Institute, Sutton Amateurs and Kildwick and Farnhill Scouts.

He was a respected judge of flowers and vegetables at local horticultural shows and himself won many top prizes.

Mr Shaw's favourite pastime was painting, which he did from the age of six, and for a time he taught art with the University of the Third Age.

Mr Shaw was this week described by his family as a loving family man, with a tremendous sense of humour that was displayed in everything he did. Mr Shaw, who is survived by his brothers, Colin and Brian, and sister Christine, had four sons and a daughter to his late wife June. After June died in 1975, Mr Shaw remarried and with wife Christine had one son.

Mr Shaw died with his family at his bedside.