Barbara J. (Rupp) Shaw, 84, of Akron, died on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from Lewy Body Disease, at home under hospice care, surrounded by family.
Barb was born to the late George and Anna Rupp in New Jersey and graduated from Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale, NJ. While attending Columbia Bible College in South Carolina, Barb met and married John (Pastor Bill) Shaw. Part way through college Barb decided to give her full attention to caring for their firstborn and then other children who followed soon after; however, in 1988 Barb finished her degree through Liberty University, after two of her daughters graduated from Liberty.
Besides being a busy mom, Barb taught and encouraged women around her while Bill pastored churches in Sumter (SC), Opp (AL), and Liberty (PA), under Rural Home Missions. Then Barb and Bill trained two years with New Tribes Mission, serving in Brazil for nearly 5 years in the Amazon jungles among the Catuquina Indians, documented in Barb’s book Journey to the Amazon. After Brazil, Barb helped move the family to New York state where Bill pastored two churches before moving to Ephrata, PA, to pastor Washington Ave. Bible Church.
Barb worked for 10 years as a geriatric aid at Landis Homes before “retiring” and caring for Bill. They were married 58 years before Bill died in 2019. In Barb’s later years she was known at Bible Baptist Church as a friendly encourager. Barb loved flowers and her cats. She loved living in Akron for 28 years and had wonderful neighbors.
Barb is survived by five children: Colleen (Kevin) Walters, Marci (Stewart) Stevens of New York, Amy (Eric) Hurley, Daniel (Esther) Shaw, Heidi (Raymond) Rutter of Pennsylvania; 23 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; a sister, Joyce (Ronnie) Van Orden of Bennington, Vermont; and three nieces and nephews, Merrie, Tim, and Jill (wife of Brett).
A viewing will be held on Thursday, April 17, 2025, from 6 to 8 PM, at Stradling Funeral Home, 30 N. 9th Street, Akron. An additional viewing will be held on Friday, April 18, 2025, from 1 to 2 PM, at Bible Baptist Church, 45 S. 9th Street, Akron, followed by her funeral service at 2 PM, with Pastor Ken Williamson officiating. Interment will be private at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Barb’s name at for her grandson, Josiah, working in Africa.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata. Online condolences can be given at stradlingfuneralhome.com.
