The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Frances Virginia (Shuster) Shannon was born to Francis Leonard and Anna Bertha Shuster Nov. 12, 1919, while they lived at the Bridal Veil logging camp. She died surrounded by people she loved on Sept. 25, 2016, just short of her 97th birthday.

In 1921, her family moved to Portland, where her father purchased their first car. Her dad took a job logging with Crown Zellerbach in 1925 and the family moved to the Beaver Creek logging family camp near Cathlamet.

Around 1929, the family purchased the Civilian Conservation Corp camp just west of Cathlamet and moved there. Frances attended school in Cathlamet and graduated in 1936. While in high school she met Don Shannon at a dance in the Puget Island Grange hall and they were married June 21, 1936. Their life together was spent in Kelso where they raised two daughters, Sharon Pedersen (Roger) and Karen Elliott.

They loved to travel and the family spent many summer vacations camping all over the Western United States. They also loved to dance and were members of several square dance clubs and a ballroom dance club, to play golf and to take the girls on Sunday drives while listening to mystery programs on the radio. After their daughters left home Don and Fran travelled twice to France. Each time they purchased a Volkswagen and spent six weeks driving around Europe and Scandinavia then shipped the car home.

Don died in an industrial accident in 1966. Eventually Fran continued traveling taking trips to Australia, Fiji, Hawaii, Spain, China, The Galapagos Islands, Greece, France and Alaska.

Fran will be remembered for her cooking and baking – especially for her pies and bread. She was a Master Gardener and enjoyed participating in numerous events with them. She played golf and was a member of the Happy Hookers golf group where she met her special friend, Claude Tritt. They enjoyed traveling with the group to many golf tournaments and gardening together.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; a sister, Betty Steiner; a son-in-law, Dick Elliott; a grandson-in-law, Brian Hamer; and her special friend, Claude Tritt.

Fran is survived by her daughters, seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.

The family will hold a private celebration of life ceremony.

Cremation has taken place under the direction of Green Hills Memorial Gardens and her ashes join Don’s at Cowlitz View Memorial Gardens.

Memorial contributions for Wahkiakum Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 498, Cathlamet, WA 98612 or a charity of your choice to benefit children would be her request.