LOST NATION, Illinois - Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 6 for the family of six who died in a house fire in November.
Timothy A. Shaw, 39, Melissa (Duncan) Shaw, 37, and their children, Ethen, 17, LeAnne, 15, Hailey, 12, and Dylan, 11, all lost their lives in a fire at their Lost Nation home just two days before Thanksgiving.
Emergency crews say they got a call for help from 17 year old Ethen trapped in the basement but flames had already spread throughout the home by the time emergency crews got to the family.
"My heart breaks for family they don`t deserve it nobody deserves to parish in a fire like this," said Shawn Parish who lives in the neighborhood.
The Sauk Valley paper reports Timothy graduated Stillman Valley High School in 1996 and enlisted in the Navy in February 1998, serving with honor and rose to the rank of petty officer first class as MM-1(SW). Tim returned home to the Dixon area in 2012 and attended Sauk Valley Community College where he studied engineering science. He met and fell in love with Melissa, and they were married July 19, 2014.
Tim worked at Exelon Nuclear, LaSalle Station, as mechanical maintenance FLS. Tim was a devoted, loving father to Ethen, LeAnne, Hailey, and Dylan, and stepfather to Mackenzie and Alex. He enjoyed life, and made life enjoyable for those who knew him.
Melissa graduated in June 1998, from Rock Falls High School and received her associate degree from Sauk Valley Community College in 2002. Melissa was an assistant manger at Maurice’s in Dixon. She had passion for her children, music, animals, and flowers.
Ethen liked working with computers and was planning to join the Navy as an IT on submarines, after graduating from high school. LeAnne loved wolves and liked to read and draw. Hailey enjoyed cooking, giraffes, and being outdoors with her family. Dylan loved to fish and play with Legos and cars.
People who knew the family say they were loving people and close to their community.
"Hailey rode my bus and was really kind and upbeat and an awesome energetic person. Never tried to make anyone mad offended anything just really kind and up beat," said a student who went to school with Hailey.
Visitation for the family was held on December 5. The funeral will be held at 11 o’clock at the Elks Lodge located at 1279 Franklin Grove Road in Dixon. A military proceeding for Tim will follow.
The cause of the fire has still not been determined. Investigators do not suspect foul play.
