John Burton Shannon (1927-2008)
SHANNON, SMITH, UNDERWOOD, ANNETT, HARTSON, FOELL, ROEDER
Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 8/6/2008 at 08:29:55
THE AMES TRIBUNE, Story County, Iowa, Tuesday, August 5, 2008.
April 3, 1927-Aug. 5, 2008
John Burton Shannon, a resident of Riverside Manor in Ames, died today at Riverside Manor. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, at Adams Funeral Home in Ames, with a memorial service to follow at 7 p.m. Interment will be at a later date in Horton Cemetery in rural Bremer County, near Waverly. He will be laid to rest next to his mother in a family setting.
John Burton Shannon was born April 3, 1927, in Charles City Township, Floyd County, to Raymond H. Shannon and Ruth A. (Smith) Shannon. His father was a carpenter and farmer and his mother a homemaker.
He spent his early years on farms in the Nashua and Charles City area. When he was 5 years old, he was placed in the Woodward State Hospital in Woodward. While a resident of Woodward, he deeply enjoyed his family visits or the rare visit back to his family home. At age 19, he moved to the Kansas City area, where he worked washing dishes in numerous restaurants near the Kansas City stockyards.
In 1971, he moved to Ames, where he worked as a dishwasher and bus boy at various restaurants, including his favorite job washing dishes at Perkins. Many people came to know him as he walked from place to place in Ames, always sporting a full white beard, and his unique limp as a result of the polio he had as a child. In the late 1980s, he worked part time at Becker Underwood doing odd jobs in the warehouse and cleaning.
In 1989, he suffered a series of debilitating strokes, causing him to lose the use of his left arm. It was at this time that Roger and Connie Underwood, of Ames, became his legal guardians. He was moved to Grand Avenue Care Center, where he lived for several years. In 1998, he was relocated to the Story County Community Life living facility in north Ames, then later to Riverside Manor nursing home.
He made legions of friends wherever he lived, and enjoyed his different jobs at the Story County Development Center.
He was happy with simple things, such as breakfast at the Grove Café, a strong cup of black coffee, a good conversation with anyone who would talk to him, and a long drive in the country just looking at things.
He is survived by two half-sisters, Carol Annett, of Creswell, Ore., and LaVonne Hartson, of Fredericksburg; one sister-in-law, Ruth Shannon, of Des Moines; a half-brother, Raymond Shannon, of Cedar Rapids; and many nieces and nephews, including a special nephew, Arvin Foell and his family, of Kelley.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Allene Roeder; and one brother, Clarence Shannon.
Memorial donations may be made to Story County Community Life Program at 124 S. Hazel Ave., Ames, IA, 50010. In lieu of a memorial donation, volunteer your time and service to someone who is in need of a helping hand.
http://www.amestrib.com
Story Obituaries maintained by Mark Christian.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen