Charles L. Shaw

Charles L. Shaw, beloved husband of Nataya Kochasuntorn, passed away on February 28, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Florida. Born on October 31, 1940, in the Borough of Queens, New York, he was the eldest child of Clara and Charles Shaw. Much of his childhood was spent in Bellerose Terrace, New York, where his natural curiosity and determination first took root.

From an early age, Charles displayed a remarkable fascination with how things worked. As a young boy serving as an altar boy at St. Anthony of Padua in Greenpoint, he would take apart radios and televisions to understand their inner mechanisms, usually managing to reassemble them. Family stories tell of his uncle, stationed in Europe during World War II, writing home with concern that his young nephew—then not yet five—be kept away from the family radio. His mechanical curiosity extended beyond electronics; before the age of ten, he once put the family car into gear and backed it into the street while the family lived in Brooklyn.

Charles graduated from Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, New York, in 1958. He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1962. He served his country with distinction as an Army Ranger in the Airborne divisions, completing two tours in Vietnam and later serving in Thailand. His dedicated military career continued until his retirement in 1987. Even decades later, his adventurous spirit endured; at his 50th West Point reunion, he took part in a memorable buddy parachute jump.

After leaving the Army, Charles earned his pilot’s license and became a certified Project Manager. His expertise took him to Malaysia, where he oversaw the installation of cable television infrastructure. He later settled in Sanford, Florida, continuing his work in telecommunications with Bright Intervoice. An avid long-distance bicyclist who loved the outdoors, Charles was known for his intelligence, mechanical aptitude, and lifelong sense of adventure.

He is survived by his wife Nataya, his sisters Mary and Adrienne (Kevin O’Connor), his brother John, his children Charles Jr. and Anne Marie (Michael Stoppa), and his grandchildren Dylan and Benjamin. Charles will be remembered for his deep dedication to family and country, his restless curiosity, and the quiet strength that defined a life of service and exploration.