Shannon Gaines Bowman

Shannon came charging into the world a classic Taurus on May 12th, 1969. She was an artist, designer, foodie, collector, community builder, and veteran — but that only skims the surface of the many hats she wore in her lifetime. Known for her iconic laugh, she filled every space she entered with her crackling, one-of-a-kind energy. There was no one like Shannon. She taught through example how to embrace the weird, the offbeat, the extra-special-bits that live inside all of us.

Her style was iconic. She rocked short hair, tattoos, skulls, glitter, sparkly jewelry, hats that looked like monsters, hoodies that looked like dinosaurs, and custom-made Vans. Her favorite shoe of all time was Creepers. She also relished any excuse to dress up in a costume. As someone who came of age in the ’80s, she worshiped Duran Duran and loved ABBA, The Carpenters, Pink, and Madonna.

She was a jack-of-all-trades and master of all of them; she was sharp and analytical (just ask anyone who dared play a game of Scrabble with her) and deeply artistic. She loved picking up a new hobby or craft, like poker or crochet, and mastering it. Jewelry-making, knitting, mosaic, and beading were only a few of her creative mediums. She was represented by Blue Gallery and was well-known for her art shows of hand-beaded “members,” tools, spoons, and forks.

One can’t talk about Shannon without mentioning one of her greatest loves: her dogs. She was famous for smuggling her beloved chihuahua Pita into various establishments. Pita passed shortly after Shannon was diagnosed, but we feel great joy knowing they’re reunited now in Spirit.

After graduating from Oak Park High School in 1987, Shannon joined the Army Reserves as a combat medic. In 1995, she graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute with a degree in Illustration. She went on to work at Hallmark as a designer and social media maven for 25 years and retired in January of 2020.

Shannon met Rich Bowman, her soulmate, in middle school. They became friends in high school art class and worked at Hallmark simultaneously. They married in 1996 and have two boys, Graysen Charles and Seth Walker. As the coolest mom on planet earth, she brought her creativity into her parenting style. For example, she once dressed the boys up like zombies for a family portrait. She celebrated every holiday like she was a kid herself.

The first time you met Shannon, she likely fed you. A passionate foodie and outstanding cook, food was her love language. For 25 years, Shannon hosted an annual Garlic Party at her home. Her love for the culinary arts expanded beyond her own kitchen. She championed local restaurants and chefs and started Kansas City’s Hardcore Foodies group on Facebook. She organized dinners, celebrated outstanding meals at her favorite places, and created space for other foodies to share and connect.

In her last year, Shannon enjoyed spending time on her “Boasis,” watching “birbs,” and visiting with her loved ones. She endured 30 rounds of chemotherapy but displayed a will and strength like no other. She continued to support her favorite haunts, complete jigsaw puzzles, and suck her “seesters” into watching “murder shows” in bed with her until the very end.

Shannon leaves behind a colossal legacy that can barely be put into words. A lover of spiders and a spider herself, she wove a web that stretches far and wide across the world. She had a knack for connecting people and making each person she met feel special. She built community until the very end through her #morningcoffeeselfietime posts on Facebook, which she started during the pandemic. She always looked out for the underdog and cheerleaded “her people,” which is how she referred to her loved ones.

Shannon changed lives by being unapologetically authentic and marching to the beat of her own drum. Although she battled with depression in private, she beat it after her cancer diagnosis. Eagles and all they represented, including strength, courage, and leadership, were important to her after her diagnosis.

On the back of her favorite necklace is the phrase “be you” — we can think of no better way to sum up the wisdom she leaves behind for us.

A Celebration of Life is planned for June 26th, 2022, at Blue Gallery in Kansas City, MO, from 2 - 6pm. Guests are requested to register by June 14th. More information can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/glitter-and-gore-a-celebration-of-life-party-for-shannon-gaines-bowman-tickets-353321172137

The family requests donations to LL Dog Rescue and World Central Kitchen in lieu of flowers in her honor.

https://www.lldogrescue.org/HelpOut.html

https://donate.wck.org/give/396273/#!/donation/checkout