Terrance Lee Shannon

Terrance Lee “Terry” Shannon, 80, went home to be with his Lord on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at Box Butte General Hospital.

Terry was born on April 13, 1931, at Rushville, Nebraska, to Forrest and Tressa (Snodgrass) Shannon. He graduated from Rushville High School. When he was 18 years old, he contracted polio. With the help and encouragement of Berniece Mae Schupbach, the love of his life, Terry triumphed over the challenges of polio. Terry and Berniece were married on May 5, 1951, in Reno, Nevada. They made Alliance their home in 1958, and it was there that they raised their three children, nurtured their many grandchildren and “adopted” grandkids, and developed a rich treasure of friendships.

Terry’s working life was dedicated to helping farmers and ranchers as a field director, and then office manager, for the Department of Agriculture and the ASCS programs. He was active in the community throughout his lifetime. In his recent years, he became very involved with RSVP and Habitat for Humanity. He loved his church and church family at St. John’s Lutheran, where he served on numerous committees, mentored many young people through their confirmation studies and devoted hundreds of Wednesday mornings to his very beloved Bible Study family, by putting on the coffee and opening his home.

Terry always welcomed friends and family for a cup of coffee, a great conversation, a robust game of cribbage, or some tutoring in their school work for the neighborhood kids. Despite his physical challenges, Terry always maintained a positive attitude, a great sense of humor, a deep compassion for those he called family or friend and an ever-growing love for Jesus.

Terry is survived by his step-mother, Margie Shannon, of Rushville; children Karen (Don) Brown, Michael (Joan) Shannon and Kimberly (Don “Chip”) Tschacher, all of Alliance; sisters Sharon VanBuskirk of Omaha, Mary Jo (Skip) Olds of York, Sherri (Kerry)Retzlaff of Rushville and Kathy (Ron)Sones of Rapid City ; sister-in-law Catherine Janssen of Rushville; brother-in-law Duane (Pat) Schupbach; grandchildren Shelly Pavich and Jason (Becky) Brown of Omaha; Michael (Kari) Tschacher of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; Megan Tschacher of Ft. Collins, Colorado; Tyler Brown of Lincoln, Nebraska; Trisha (Michael) Davidson, Cassie Kindred and Spencer (fiancé Jessica Montemeyer) Brown of Alliance. He is also survived by 16 great-grandchildren; Jordyn, Tyler and Taylor Pavich; Morgan, Austin, Makayla and Brooke Davidson; Rosalie and Reagan Kopp; Matthew and Abby Brown; Cole and Grant Tschacher; Peyton and Kaden Kindred; and Carter Brown; many and loved nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; sisters Colleen and Christy; and numerous beloved in-laws and grandparents.

A celebration of Terry’s life will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Saturday, March 10, at 10:00 a.m. with fellowship to follow. Reverend Larry Spomer will officiate. Burial will then be at Fairview Cemetery in Rushville, Nebraska, at 2:00 p.m. Visitation will be at Bates-Gould Funeral Home on Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Family and friends are then invited to meet there, at 7:00 p.m., to share memories of Terry.

The family has designated that memorials may be sent to St. John’s Lutheran Church, RSVP, Habitat for Humanity or the Alliance Volunteer Fire Department.

Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com. Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.