Shawn “Shevy” Shevalier, 56, told his last inappropriate joke on October 3, 2023, at which time he lost the 2.5-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He once wrote it was “imperative to wring every ounce of life from our mortal journey,” and that is exactly how he lived.
Born in Hornell, NY on December 19, 1966, Shevy spent his childhood in Gainesville, FL. After high school, he began his military career in the Navy, followed by a move to the Army where he flew attack helicopters in South Korea, counter-narcotics surveillance planes in South America, and VIP jets in Afghanistan. He left active military duty in 2001 and joined US Customs and Border Protection as an Air Interdiction Agent where he flew law enforcement surveillance planes and helicopters. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Aviation, Shevy began flying for Southwest Airlines in 2014, a company for which he held deep respect and admiration. In 2016, he also became the chief pilot for Super Petrel, which resulted in many hours of fun flying the seaplane on his days off from the airline. Aviation had been Shevy’s passion since childhood, and he was always willing to push the limits to give friends and colleagues a memorable, if not heart-stopping, flight.
A pilot through and through, Shevy lived his life at full throttle, always in forward motion, seeking new experiences at every turn. Shevy met his wife, Laura, in 2010 and agreed to jump out of an airplane for her on their first date. This was the first of many of adventures together, including global travel to run with the Hash House Harriers, biking at the beach, and spending time on his yacht “Serendipped” in Key West. Shevy had a sharp wit and was quick to tell a funny story (usually involving his antics with friends growing up or from his experiences around the world in more than 30 countries). He particularly loved inappropriate humor and he was a fan of struggle-snuggling his beloved sheepdog, Ruprecht. When he was not flying or outside running and biking, Shevy enjoyed politics, gadgets, science, and debating current events.
Shevy was predeceased by both his parents (Raymond and Dorothy) and brother (Scott). He is survived by his wife (Laura) and sheepdog (Ruprecht), as well as his brother (Chris) and step-mother (Claudia/Momma), father-in-law and mother-in-law (Terry and Charlene), brother-in-law and sister-in-law (Justin and Nicole), niece (Kori), and countless friends and fellow aviators.
In memory of Shevy’s remarkable life, please join us for a visitation at Hardage-Giddens St. Johns on Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 11:00 am. A Celebration of Life and reception will follow at 12:00 pm at Hardage-Giddens St. Johns.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the ALS Therapy Development Institute (whose sole focus is the urgent search to find treatments for ALS) or the Paralyzed Veterans of America (whose advocacy results in legislation helping veterans with ALS and their families). See https://www.als.net/ or https://pva.org/
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgstjohns.com for the Shevalier family.
DONATIONS
ALS Therapy Development InstituteALS TDI 480 Arsenal Street , Suite 201 , Watertown, Massachusetts 02472
Paralyzed Veterans of AmericaP.O. Box 758542, Topeka, KS 66675-8542
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