Varyon Stacey Shannon

"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day"¦" 2 Timothy 4:6-8. After a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer, Stacey Shannon went to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. Stacey was born March 10, 1934, in Port Gibson, Miss., and was raised in Shreveport, where he graduated from Byrd High School. Stacey proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955 and graduated from LSU in 1960. Having lived in Baton Rouge for 53 years, he was loved and respected by many because of his kind, loving nature - he always believed in putting others first. Stacey was an entrepreneur and real estate investor. He began his professional career as co-owner of Gulf Janitorial Services until it was purchased by the Mackey Corp. Afterward, he became co-owner of Gulf Disposal Services Inc. which was the first privately owned commercial containerized disposal company in Baton Rouge. It was later purchased by Browning Ferris Industries in 1972. Stacey then started American Building Maintenance Inc. in 1972 and built the business into one of the largest privately owned industrial janitorial cleaning companies in Baton Rouge. He retired from ABM in 2004 and devoted the final three years of his life developing and establishing Petropolitan, a service-related pet business in Baton Rouge. During his years in Baton Rouge, Stacey was a member and deacon at University and First Baptist churches and most recently, Broadmoor Baptist Church. He enjoyed many years of membership in the Optimist Club of Baton Rouge and was involved in their numerous fundraising events. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing and LSU sports; but mostly, he enjoyed spending time with his family. Stacey was preceded in death by his parents, Claire Wood and Varyon C. Shannon, who were of Shreveport; and brother, D. Kenneth Shannon Sr., who was of Birmingham, Ala. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Merle Hoover Shannon; two daughters and a son, Maureen Rucci and husband Pete, Glenda Pollard and husband Jeff, and Keith Shannon and wife D'Ann; three grandsons, Peyton Pollard and Culley and Connor Shannon, all of Baton Rouge; an extremely devoted sister, Connie S. Emmons, of Shreveport; nephew, D. Kenneth Shannon Jr., of Birmingham; very special aunt, Lorraine W. Hamilton, a resident now of Baton Rouge; as well as a host of other relatives, friends, co-workers and employees, especially Oscar Woods Sr., a former co-worker of 45 years and a much respected and devoted friend to the very end. The Shannon family is extremely appreciative of our many friends and family members for their endless prayers and numerous expressions of care throughout Stacey's long battle. Additionally, the family is deeply grateful to Broadmoor Baptist Church, First Baptist Church and First Presbyterian Church's clergy and membership for their outpouring of Christian love. Furthermore, we wish to extend our appreciation to the outstanding staff at Baton Rouge General Medical Center-Bluebonnet and the Hematology/Oncology Group of Baton Rouge. Pallbearers will be Bill Edwards, Daniel Hoover, Robert Lee, Thomas Pizzolato, Cecil Richardson and Joel Sanders. Honorary pallbearers are Harley Brown, Bill Hoover and D. Kenneth Shannon Jr. Visitation at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd., on Wednesday, Aug. 26, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visitation at Broadmoor Baptist Church on Thursday, Aug. 27, from 10 a.m. until religious service at 11 a.m. Entombment in Greenoaks Memorial Park Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The MD Anderson Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund, P.O. Box 4461, Houston, TX 77210-4461 or Broadmoor Baptist Church of Baton Rouge.