Clarke Shaw Obituary. Death – Clarke Shaw reportedly died and it was a sad day for his friend and family. It is with deep regret that we must inform you of the demise of our guest, Clarke Shaw, who passed away on the first day of the new year in 2023 at the age of seventy-four. My name is Fred Skeen, and I work as the RN case manager at Hospitality House for Clarke. I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the community for all of the love and support they have
given to Clarke. It was extremely meaningful to Clarke in the last days of his life.
For the benefit of those who are unaware, Clarke was a local guy who was raised in Nevada County from the time he was a teenager onward. He always lived and worked in close proximity to his family. He was the kind of guy who was all about the North San Juan and the Yuba River. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed spending time at the river. He never tied the knot and he did not
produce any offspring of his own. He joined the Army Reserves when he was a young adult and served his country throughout the Vietnam War. As an older age, Clarke remained in the community and worked in the North San Juan area until he ran into financial difficulties.
After being evicted from his home, Clarke sought assistance from our organization. Clarke was under our care when we discovered he had cancer. As soon as members of the community found
out about this, they kindly brought smoothies and shakes for Clarke to drink at the shelter. These were the only items that Clarke could stomach while he was through chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Sadly, after a brief period of time during which we believed the cancer had been successfully eradicated, it returned and quickly spread to his lungs as well as his abdomen. The results of a recent biopsy showed that it had masticated everywhere.
In the most recent weeks, Clarke’s condition started to deteriorate, so we moved him to a skilled nursing institution in Auburn, where American River Hospice provided him with assistance during his final days. I went to see him on a regular basis with my therapy dog-in-training, Daphne. Daphne was able to perceive that the end was drawing near, and she remained at Clarke’s side throughout each visit.
It seems natural that in the thick of all our recent storms, on a bright and beautiful afternoon on New Year’s Day, Clarke should have left us calmly beneath the sun’s warmth. Clarke was never a huge admirer of storm clouds and wet days.
Clarke has been and will continue to be one of my favorite characters at the shelter. It won’t be the same without him. I want to express my gratitude to each and every person and company that has stepped up at some point to assist Clarke. He asked that you please let you know how much he valued everything.