Roland Clark Shaw ’42

Rollo Shaw, 82, a founder of Great Britain's independent oil industry, died Dec. 19, 2003, at his home near London

Rollo left Princeton in 1941 to complete 73 missions as a bomber pilot in the Far East and Germany. In 1945 he returned to graduate with high honors in political science. After attending the London School of Economics, he joined the diplomatic corps in Germany, where he met and, in 1952, married Felicitas "Fee" von Frankenburg. They had two daughters, Alexandra and Victoria. Fee died in 1995 after a wonderful marriage.

Bored with the diplomat's life, Rollo found his life's work in oil exploration. His background in business and diplomacy, his formidable presence, and his remarkable ne-gotiating skills destined Rollo to a great career in the glory days of North Sea oil development. Through a series of imaginative and innovative maneuvers he headed the creation of Premier Oil as managing director and chairman of the board. He never retired. While at Premier he founded Brindex, an association of independent British oil companies. He was chairman of Burren Energy, a Bermuda-registered oil company, and in 1985 he was awarded an honorary CBE (Commander, Order of the British Empire).

Rollo was memorialized as "a calm and sensitive man who protected many and did business to befriend more. "The class mourns, along with Alexandra, Vicky, and the grandchildren, the loss of their "much-loved father and grandfather."

The Class of 1942