- Date Of Birth: January 31, 1918
- Date Of Death: April 23, 2021
- State: Nebraska
Evelyn Mary Shannon was born January 31, 1918, to George and Eva (Pitt) Gaskill in O’Neill, Nebraska. She grew up in rural Northeast Nebraska, riding a pony to grade school, and graduating from Carroll High School in 1936. She was a member of the Carroll Methodist Church and sang in the choir.
She married John B. Shannon on February 8, 1937. They were the parents of two children, John C. and Lavonne, living on farms in Pierce and Antelope County before moving to Seward, Nebraska about 1943. When John was drafted into WWII in 1945, she kept the home fires going working at Hughes Brothers plant in Seward, the local dime store, and the bakery. She then became a butcher at Safeway grocery store in Seward where after the war she became the wrapper of the first self-serve meat and cheese department
In 1954, they moved to a farm in Antelope County. They later became the owners of the Office Bar & Tavern in Brunswick. Then she and John owned a gravel pit where she pumped the gravel.
Evelyn and John loved to travel. They traveled all over the United States. When they turned 62 years old, they bought an R.V.
She loved going to the Senior Citizens Center and playing cards and also belonged to some card clubs. Her favorite card games were 10-Point Pitch and Pinochle. In 2018, she moved into the Madison House.
She was a life member of the VFW Auxiliary. During her 73 years as a member, she served as District #9 and District #3 President, Auxiliary President of Seward and Plainview VFW Auxiliary. After moving to Norfolk, she transferred her membership to the Norfolk VFW Auxiliary. She was also a life member of the D.A.V. Auxiliary and the Eagles Auxiliary.
Surviving are her two children, John C. (Gina Deuel) Shannon of Columbus and Yuma, Arizona and Lavonne (Nivan) Hornik of Norfolk. Six grandchildren, Elizabeth (Rob) Davis, Marie (Dwight) Reuter, Richard Hornik, all of Norfolk. Janet Shannon, Michael (Julie) Shannon, and Nancy (Tim) Olcott, all of Columbus; 17 great grandchildren (including two sets of twins), and 22 great-great grandchildren (including two sets of twins).
Preceding her in death were her parents, her spouse, a granddaughter, Ginger Hornik Armstrong, two great grandsons Chad Shannon and in infancy Garrett Hornik, her sister Edith Wimmer and brother John Gaskill, daughters-in-law Lois Shannon and Delores Shannon, and great grandson-in-law, Blaine Hayes.
