William "Bill" Shannon
April 29, 1922 — April 20, 2018
Gale William Shannon, son of Harper and Helen (Hunter) Shannon, was born on April 29, 1922 on the Shannon family farm in Douglas Township outside Kirkman, Iowa. He attended school in Kirkman where he graduated from the class of 1939.
The girl of Bill’s dreams, Dorothy Barry, lived just down the road on a neighboring farm. They dated a few years before marrying on March 17, 1946 at the United Methodist Church in Irwin, Iowa. After their marriage, they purchased their first farm together west of Irwin. They then farmed various farms around the Irwin and Kirkman areas where they became the parents of five children: Denny, Bonnie, Rodney, Janice and Joan.
Bill was a loving dad, grandpa and great grandpa. While watching them grow, Bill was always interested in his kids and grandkids lives and school activities. His hard work and appreciation for the land was apparent as a farmer. He was involved in family farming for seventy-five years and especially liked harvest season. He enjoyed all things in nature and often took the grandchildren fishing.
Visiting family and friends was a favorite pastime for Bill and Dorothy. They had a lifelong group of couple friends that would get together to celebrate birthdays. They enjoyed frequent trips to Boone, Des Moines and Colorado to visit their children and grandchildren.
After moving from the farm to Harlan, Bill took up many new activities. He helped at The Flower Barn, gardened, did yard work for people in town, delivered Meals on Wheels, served Communion for his church, was on a bowling team and joined the Harlan Kiwanis group where he was active in the Golden K. He also loved attending and volunteering at the Greenridge Steam and Gas Antique Show and the Shelby County Fair. Bill created many woodworking and woodcarving projects and taught himself how to play the harmonica and keyboard. If you were around Bill, he would most definitely tell you a joke, story or play a harmonica tune just to bring a grin to your face.
Bill and Dorothy moved to the Independent Living Condos at Elm Crest in Harlan in 2013 when health issues arose for Dorothy. They continued living there until Bill’s death at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan on April 20, 2018 where he attained the age of ninety-five years, eleven months and twenty-two days. In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his infant daughter Bonnie, his sister Lucille and his twin brother, Bob.
Bill is survived by his wife of over seventy years, Dorothy Shannon of Harlan; his children: Denny Shannon and his wife Diane of Boone, Iowa, Rodney Shannon and his wife Noreen of Manilla, Iowa, Janice and her husband Maury Salz of Honeycreek, Iowa and Joan Shannon of Des Moines, Iowa; grandchildren: Ted Shannon, Jeff Shannon, Jill Neumann and her husband Nick, Lindsay Shannon, Christopher Shannon, Erica Shannon Stueve and her husband Nathan, Scott Shannon and his wife Megan; three great grandchildren: Drew Neumann, Madrone Shannon, Erin Neumann and one on the way; Ellsworth Shannon of Manilla, Iowa; nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends.
The girl of Bill’s dreams, Dorothy Barry, lived just down the road on a neighboring farm. They dated a few years before marrying on March 17, 1946 at the United Methodist Church in Irwin, Iowa. After their marriage, they purchased their first farm together west of Irwin. They then farmed various farms around the Irwin and Kirkman areas where they became the parents of five children: Denny, Bonnie, Rodney, Janice and Joan.
Bill was a loving dad, grandpa and great grandpa. While watching them grow, Bill was always interested in his kids and grandkids lives and school activities. His hard work and appreciation for the land was apparent as a farmer. He was involved in family farming for seventy-five years and especially liked harvest season. He enjoyed all things in nature and often took the grandchildren fishing.
Visiting family and friends was a favorite pastime for Bill and Dorothy. They had a lifelong group of couple friends that would get together to celebrate birthdays. They enjoyed frequent trips to Boone, Des Moines and Colorado to visit their children and grandchildren.
After moving from the farm to Harlan, Bill took up many new activities. He helped at The Flower Barn, gardened, did yard work for people in town, delivered Meals on Wheels, served Communion for his church, was on a bowling team and joined the Harlan Kiwanis group where he was active in the Golden K. He also loved attending and volunteering at the Greenridge Steam and Gas Antique Show and the Shelby County Fair. Bill created many woodworking and woodcarving projects and taught himself how to play the harmonica and keyboard. If you were around Bill, he would most definitely tell you a joke, story or play a harmonica tune just to bring a grin to your face.
Bill and Dorothy moved to the Independent Living Condos at Elm Crest in Harlan in 2013 when health issues arose for Dorothy. They continued living there until Bill’s death at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan on April 20, 2018 where he attained the age of ninety-five years, eleven months and twenty-two days. In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his infant daughter Bonnie, his sister Lucille and his twin brother, Bob.
Bill is survived by his wife of over seventy years, Dorothy Shannon of Harlan; his children: Denny Shannon and his wife Diane of Boone, Iowa, Rodney Shannon and his wife Noreen of Manilla, Iowa, Janice and her husband Maury Salz of Honeycreek, Iowa and Joan Shannon of Des Moines, Iowa; grandchildren: Ted Shannon, Jeff Shannon, Jill Neumann and her husband Nick, Lindsay Shannon, Christopher Shannon, Erica Shannon Stueve and her husband Nathan, Scott Shannon and his wife Megan; three great grandchildren: Drew Neumann, Madrone Shannon, Erin Neumann and one on the way; Ellsworth Shannon of Manilla, Iowa; nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends.
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