Submitted by Kevin O’Malley
James “Jim” Shaw has been named the Grand Marshal of the Hoosick Falls St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Known for his smiling Irish eyes and gift of gab, Jim is a descendant of Dennis Crowley and Andrew Hackett who emigrated from Ireland in 1866 and 1868. Born in February 1944 and raised in town, he was one of the first students to graduate from the new St. Mary’s High School building on High Street in 1961. He later attended Hudson Valley Community College and worked at IBM and General Electric before joining Allied Signal, where he worked for 37 years.
Jim married his high school sweetheart, Patty Kempf, and they raised three daughters Margaret, Kate and Lee Anne on Classic Street. While his girls were in school at St. Mary’s Academy, Jim was instrumental in the success of the annual Funtastic Fair as well as a key member of the famed and beloved “Hoot ‘n Holler Destruction Company” at the school.
Jim lived and worked in Hoosick Falls and gave back to his hometown in his spare time. He has been a pillar of the community for decades, serving as an officer in many local organizations from the St. Stanislaus Society to the Hoosick Falls Country Club to the St. Mary’s Academy School Board and Immaculate Conception Parish Council.
In his retirement, Jim can be found corralling golf carts on the green at the Country Club.