Dan L. Shannon

Dan L Shannon, age 84, passed away on July 26, 2023. Born in Oxford, Kansas on April 26, 1939 to Merle and Esther Shannon, he was the youngest of three boys with brothers Wesley and Richard. Several years after moving to Denver, Colorado, Dan attended Alameda High School. In 1957, he graduated and went on to serve in the United States Coast Guard until April 1962. After serving his country, Dan decided to attend Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado where, in 1970, he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. In 1967, he married the love of his life, Kathleen, in a wonderful ceremony in Westfield, New York. They had the first of two children, Kelly Brian, in 1969; and their second, Heather Lyn, in 1971. Dan spent most of his career as an insurance adjuster in Northern Colorado, where he and Kathy raised their family together. They spent 21 years in Johnstown, Colorado and the last 25 years in Littleton, Colorado. Along the way, they gained many lifelong friends and witnessed their family grow with the addition of several grandchildren and great-grandchildren who Dan especially loved spending time with.

You might ask who Dan was. If you didn’t know him, you might think that he was quiet or reserved, but when you got him talking about his favorite Yankees or a good classic car he saw that reminded him of the years he spent working on them, he could talk to you about it for hours. Dan was an intelligent, humble man who knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life and so he did it. You could often find him in a quiet rippling stream, fishing; on a fresh cut, beautifully groomed fairway golfing with family and friends; or among the roaring crowd in a stadium, watching baseball. No matter what, Dan enjoyed spending time with his family: playing with his children and grandchildren, winning the endless rounds of putt-putt, going to pumpkin patches and Christmas tree lots, teaching them some of his hobbies--like fishing or playing catch, and even just cheering them on from the sidelines in each of their own activities. But above all of these, he loved to do just anything with Kathy. Whether it was watching a good Old Western movie, completing a jigsaw puzzle, or taking a midday walk to Dairy Queen for some ice cream, Dan loved the little moments of life, spent doing the things he loved most with the people he loved most.

Dan is preceded in death by his father, Merle; mother, Esther; and brothers, Wesley and Richard. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Kathy Shannon; son, Kelly (Rebecca) Shannon; daughter, Heather (Rob) Krause; 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.