James Shaw named grand marshal of St. Patrick’s Day parade
HOOSICK FALLS, N.Y. >> Organizers of the Hoosick Falls St. Patrick’s Day recently announced its grand marshal for next month’s parade.
Organizers said James “Jim” Shaw has been named the Grand Marshal of the Hoosick Falls St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Organizers said he is known for his smiling Irish eyes and gift of gab.
Shaw is a descendant of Dennis Crowley and Andrew Hackett, who emigrated from Ireland in 1866 and 1868.
Born in February 1944, he was born and raised in town and 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 Electric before joining Allied Signal, where he worked for 37 years.
Shaw married his high school sweetheart, Patty Kempf, and raised three daughters, Margaret, Kate and Lee Anne on Classic Street. While his girls were in school at St. Mary’s Academy, officials noted that Shaw 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.
Shaw lived and worked in Hoosick Falls and gave back to his hometown in his spare time. Officials said that he has been a pillar of the community for decades, serving 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, organizers of the parade said that Shaw can be found corralling golf carts on the green at the Country Club.
The village parade is scheduled for Saturday, March 16.