We met the Shannons two years ago when they began attending church with us at our little country church in the woods. We fell in love with James and Shirley Shannon because they were just the loveliest couple that shared their love of each other with everyone they met. They also had a love for their Irish heritage which we enjoyed sharing with them.
This couple had been married for 60 years and had eight children (5 boys and 3 girls) as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Their children would often come to visit them and attend church with them, so we got to know a lot of the family. And the Shannons were so kind that they became psuedo-grandparents to our children.
However, all of this was only on Sundays and I regret to say we did not take the time to grow deeper in our knowledge of James before his passing last Thursday (Holy Thursday). If we had, we might have had opportunity to hear him tell stories of his many years of adventure in the Navy, with NASA, and just funny stories of raising a big family!
That is what we heard yesterday for the first time! Oh...how I regret not getting to know him more!
I thought the obituary for this faithful man showed how important his belief in God was his greatest legacy to his family. They spoke of how much God blessed James throughout his life.
God blessed James at birth with a loving family...a dad and mom, along with three sisters.
God blessed James with the love of his life...Shirley!
God blessed James with a large family of his own.
God blessed James with a wonderful career...as an engineer with the Navy and NASA (In 1961, James joined Manned Space Program (which became NASA) and began an adventure to put a man on the moon. It was such an exciting and challenging job that he often said he would have done it for free.)
God blessed James with grandchildren and great-grandchildren!
God blessed James with many opportunities for family gatherings.
God blessed James with wonderful friends.
God blessed James with the knowledge of right and wrong and the fortitude to live by his convictions.
God blessed James with wonderful caregivers.
God blessed James with a strong faith.
And God blessed ALL of US by letting us keep him for so long! This was addressed to his family but I think it can be extended to his church family as well. He will be missed and we will not forget his amazing smile and caring personality! He will be an inspiration for us for many years to come!
The priest who presided over his funeral spoke of the meaning of his name...James Joseph...builder and increaser...James Joseph Shannon definitely lived up to his name...he built more than material goods and increased more than monetary means while he lived on this earth. He built a legacy of increased love and joy where ever he went. May God's perpetual light shine upon him!
We also enjoyed our time with the family after the funeral. I loved sitting with little Maggie who shared a song she wrote for her Grampa at the funeral. She was so sweet and we left her with a message that her Grampa would not be forgotten in our little part of the world!
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