Doris Ruth Shay

Doris Ruth Shay

Doris Ruth Shay, 96 yrs old, died on Dec. 18, 2025, at her daughter’s (Laurie) home in Sun City.

 Doris was born on June 16, 1929, in Buffalo, NY to Ruth and Victor Walker. She lived in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada until 1944 when her family moved to Morgantown, WV. She is survived by her brother, Robert Walker, in Palm Desert, CA and three children: Patrick Shay from Savannah, GA, Amy Shepard from Charlotte, NC, and Laurie Shay from Okatie, SC. 

Doris graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in Fine Arts. Since childhood, she pursued her passion in brush art, specializing in watercolors. 

Doris married her husband, Willis, in 1953. They reared their three children in Bridgeport, WV. She has 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Doris and Willis moved to Hilton Head Island in 1981. She quickly became involved in the Art League of Hilton Head and organized the League’s first national juried show. In 2007, she put together a group, “Les Bonnes Artistes”, which annually exhibit their work at Coastal Discovery Museum. Doris has been recognized for her paintings locally and abroad. 

Her Memorial Service will be at All Saints Episcopal Church on Jan. 31, 2026 at 10am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Doris’s memory to the Art League of Hilton Head by going to their website, artleaguehhi.org/gallery or mailed to 14 Shelter Cove Ln, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928.