Vance Robert Shaw (Ret. Col.)

Obituary For Vance Robert Shaw (Ret. Col.)

Services will be held on Tuesday, June 23rd

Alfred Street Baptist Church 301 S. Alfred Street Alexandria, VA 22314

Visitation: 10 a.m. Funeral: 11 a.m.

Interment: Arlington National Cemetery - TBD

Colonel Vance Robert Shaw, U.S. Air Force, Retired⁠, aged 85, passed away peacefully after a long and bumpy journey of Alzheimer’s Disease on May 31, 2026, surrounded by family.

Born on May 21, 1941, in Electra, Texas, he was the son of the late Vance L. Shaw and Robert (Bobbie) Ernestine Shaw (née Dunn). A proud alumnus of Dunbar High School in Temple, Texas (Class of 1959), Vance continued his education and service-oriented path as a member of an eleven-person team with Operation Crossroads Africa, where they successfully built an elementary school in Northern Nigeria. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&I University in Kingsville in 1963. Vance served his country with distinction in the United States Air Force for forty years and retired as a Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve. During his military career, he completed a tour of duty in Vietnam, was awarded the Bronze Star, taught AFROTC at Tuskegee Institute, joined the first official class of the Defense Race Relations Institute at the United States Air Force Academy, and later established the Race Relations Education Program for the Academy. His public service included key roles in Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Race Relations with the DC National Guard, Maryland National Guard, and as New York State EEO/Race Relations Director. In 2003, he made a weekly commute from Virginia to Long Island, New York, to provide support to 9/11 survivors at Nassau University Medical Center. He also served on the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) from 2003 to 2007. In civilian life, Vance taught criminal justice as an adjunct professor at Sanford-Brown College, located in McLean, Virginia. He was also a valued member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity (the Boulé) for more than 25 years.

For the past 27 years, Vance was happily married to his wife, Lois Brent-Shaw. He and Lois became members of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, over 20 years ago. Together, they built a life in McLean, Virginia, sharing companionship, enjoying travel, enjoying his family, and serving his community until his passing.

Vance is survived by his loving wife, Lois Brent-Shaw, three daughters, Karen McDowell (Ivan), Cara Shaw, and Vanessa Shaw, his six grandchildren, his brother, Lance, and a large circle of nieces and nephews. He is also survived by Lois’s son, Bill Brent (Michelle), and his former son-in-law, Gbenga Erinle. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Argolda and Patricia.

Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, June 23rd at 10:00 AM at Alfred Street Baptist Church, 301 S. Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314-3670. Visitation begins at 10:00AM and services will begin promptly at 11:00AM.

Interment will follow at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to Alfred Street Baptist Church, 301 S. Alfred Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3670 in memory of Colonel Vance Robert Shaw, U.S. Air Force, Retired⁠. Flowers may be sent to Greene Funeral Home, 814 Franklin Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.

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