Shaw retires from Willow Care after 40 plus years

A familiar figure in Willow Springs, Dr. Robert Shaw has worked as a family doctor, as the physician for Bear athletics, and in many other roles serving the community. As of December 2024, he has retired from his longest-running role - as Medical Director of Willow Care and the Westwood Clinic. 

 

“One of the reasons for my wanting to practice in a small town was the desire to be a true ‘family’ physician…I always saw taking care of nursing home patients as part of my role as a family medicine doctor. Taking care of patients from birth through old age was what I had always seen as the responsibility of a family physician. As time went on, the majority of the patients in the nursing home were those that I had taken care of in my office practice.  It was hard for me to imagine not being involved in their care,” Shaw wrote via email to the News.  

 

And so, he has been. Dr. Shaw has been involved with Willow Care since 1982, as long as he has been in Willow Springs. 

 

Current Willow Care Administrator Stacey Smith commended Shaw’s compassion and professionalism at a retirement celebration on December 18.

 

“He is one who will give you the bad news with love,” Smith said, “which is what you want in elder care. You don’t want someone who will beat around the bush with the bad news. But with Dr. Shaw, you can count on compassion and straightforward care.”

 

Dr. Shaw was honored in 2020 with the Family Physician of the Year Award from the Missouri Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP).

 

Dr. Shaw mused on his unique position as a family physician, “By truly knowing the patients, their families, their backgrounds, I felt that I could be a real advocate for the patient, recommending the best treatment for them, translating the current medical recommendations to what would fit their lifestyle, connecting them to the best specialists when needed, and giving them honest choices regarding their treatments. I was blessed that for the most part I was able to accomplish this.  The future of medicine may not allow such a practice as this, but God smiled on me when he granted me this medical practice in this location.”

 

With a cake showing an AI-generated image of Dr. Shaw running from a bear, Willow Care bid farewell to their intrepid adventurer of a Medical Director on Dec. 18. 

 

“I would like to think that I could still do some of the kayaking and bicycling that I formerly did throughout the world, the reality is that I am slowing down. My wife and I still plan on some travel, but it will not be the adventure travel of my younger years. I particularly enjoy playing golf and bicycling but even this has been slowed down by ankle arthritis,” Shaw told the News. 

 

For now, Dr. Shaw reports he will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of the Howell County Health Department as well as board member of the Willow Springs Ambulance District.  

 

Willow Care’s new Medical Director is Willow Springs native Derek Morrison.