Shannon Kathleen Wilson

I first met Shannon in 3rd grade, after coming to a new school part way through the year. I was 8 and she was 9. I was instantly drawn to her humor and easy-going nature. I remember the first time we hung out: we lounged around eating Cheetos and watching MTV, effortlessly talking and laughing. I knew instantly that we would be best friends. We were pretty inseparable after that. We would walk to each other's houses and to school, have sleepovers every weekend, and grow up together for the next five years. Some of my favorite memories with Shannon were playing clarinet together 🤓, listening to Ace of Base and Aerosmith, making ridiculous and hilarious (at least to us!) home movies with a giant video camera, calling boys in our class whom we liked to harass them 🤦‍♀️, dressing up, calling a phone number through the local newspaper to listen to our horoscopes, and riding our bikes to the neighborhood park and convenient store. I remember how sad I was when we had a falling out in 8th grade. I legitimately grieved the loss of our friendship the way someone older might grieve a break up, and I remember how much it hurt (even though I had not been very nice to her during that time myself). It was so hard to have our years of close friendship come too an end, but I am so grateful we reconnected when we got a little older and put the junior high stuff behind us. I feel so lucky to have had Shannon in my life. She was truly a special person and contributed so much companionship, fun, and humor to my life (and I'm sure countless others' lives). I am hoping that she is at peace now, and reunited in some form with loved ones who passed before her. Sending love to her family, friends, and all who knew her.