Rita L. Shaw

Rita L. Shaw, a retired Bigfork librarian, died Nov. 18 in Kalispell after a short illness. She was 68.

Shaw was born Dec. 6, 1944, in Cutbank, Mont., and raised in Havre. She graduated from Havre Central High School and attended the St. Patrick School of Nursing in Missoula in 1966. She married David Shaw and they were married 12 years.

Rita worked as a registered nurse in Montana, Colorado and Alaska before moving to Bigfork in 1982. She was a volunteer at the library before taking the position of head librarian in 1984 when the library became part of the Flathead County library system. She continued to work at the library until her retirement in 2009.

Rita was an avid reader who also loved the outdoors. While living in Alaska she enjoyed fishing, hunting and gardening. She also earned her pilot’s license and flew as much as possible. The library and its patrons were of great importance to her. She always had a new book to recommend or information to share.

She is survived by daughter, Kristine Shaw Lindberg and her husband, Dan Lindberg, in Homer, Alaska. She is also survived by her brother, Stephen Haglund, of Bishop, Texas. Other relatives include nieces and nephews Dan and Amanda Champine, Suzanne Masteas, and Eric and Melissa Haglund.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Vern and Gerri Haglund.

The family will have a service for Rita on Dec. 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bigfork Art and Cultural Center. Memorials are suggested to the Bigfork Quick Response Unit.