John R. Jack" Shannon

John R. ?Jack? Shannon, 79, of 1726 Cerro Gordo Way, died Monday, January 16, 2006 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. A funeral mass will be held 10:30 AM Thursday at Holy Family Catholic Church, 714 N. Adams with Rev. Jon Seda and Rev. Steve Palo, Trinity Lutheran Church officiating. Interment will be in the Rock Falls Cemetery. Full military rites will be conducted by the Mason City Veterans Memorial Association. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8:00 PM Wednesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue. A scriptural wake service will be held at 6:30 PM at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the John R. ?Jack? Shannon Memorial Fund. Jack was born June 23, 1926 in Mason City the son of William J. and Florence E. ?Betty? (Reid) Shannon. Jack attended Sacred Heart Catholic School and the public schools in Manly where he participated in football, baseball, basketball and was also a class officer. Jack enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp. and received his training in Mississippi, Arizona and Texas. He served in the South Pacific during W.W. II. Jack was married January 5, 1948 to Shirley Jones. To this union were born Maureen, John Willam, Tammy and Michele. Jack would later divorce and marry Dola Infante August 26, 1978. Upon his discharge, he attended Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. After 2 years of college, he went to work for the M. & St. L. Railroad as a switchman. Later he went to work for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad as a switchman, brakeman, conductor and as a trainmaster. He retired in 1993 after 43 years of service. Jack served in various union capacities in the area including general chairman of the Switchman Union of North America and the United Transportation Union. He served 25 years as president of NIAD Labor Council in Mason City, was a 20 year member of the Mason City Planning & Zoning Commission and the Civil Service Commission. Jack was an active member of VFW Post #733 where he served as past commander as well as Grand Commander for the state of Iowa Military Order of the Cooties. Jack also worked for the Democratic Party of Cerro Gordo County, served as a field representative for the Iowa Liquor Control and was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church. Jack is survived by his wife, Dola M. Shannon of Mason City; children, Maureen ?Reenie? Skellenger and husband Tom of Clear Lake, Tammy Carpenter of Mason City, Michele Shannon of Mason City; grandchildren, Mitch Skellenger and wife Dawn of Garner, Jamie Carpenter and fiancé Brian Poulin Jr. of Manly, Shay Carpenter, Dillon Carpenter and Jordan Shannon of Mason City; great granddaughter, Nevaeh Poulin; brothers and sisters, Mary Christiansen and husband Paul of Marshalltown, Betty Jane Novak and husband Gene of Denver, Colorado, Sister Mary Floria Shannon, BVM, ?Dorothy Ann? of Dubuque, Joe Shannon and wife Rinda of North Carolina, Lillian Brown and husband Jim of Kentucky, Sheila Adams and husband Daniel of Mason City, Francis Shannon and wife Cathy of Mason City, Robert Shannon of Kentucky, Harry Shannon and wife Pam of Mason City, Tom Shannon and wife Kay of Mason City, Denny Shannon and wife Sandy of Rockford, Illinois, Alice Dougherty and husband Phil of Dougherty; sisters-in-law, Marilyn Shannon of Mason City, Ardella Shannon of Mason City; step-children, Debra Perry and husband George of Plymouth, Kristi Infante of Mason City, Lindee Ciavarelli and husband Steve of Albert Lea, Minnesota, Joy Campbell of Mason City; 6 step grandchildren; 2 step great grandchildren; mother-in-law, Addie Elsbury of Mason City; brother and sister-in-law, Westly R. ?Bud? Bahnsen and wife Pauline of Mason City; brother-in-law, Burr Jones of Yucca Valley, California; many nieces and nephews. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother, Lillian Shannon; sister, Lucy Donnelly; brothers, James and William P. Shannon; son, John William Shannon in 1956.

Visitation:
4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on January 18, 2006 (map/driving directions) 1:00 PM to 1:00 PM at 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue on January 16, 2006 (map/driving directions)

Service:
1:00 PM at on January 19, 2006 (map/driving directions)