Gerald (Jerry) Conrad Shannon, of Eaglesham, Alberta, passed away peacefully on November 13, 2025, at Spirit River Hospital, after facing cancer with remarkable strength and courage. He was 83 years old.

Born on December 1, 1941, in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Jerry was raised in Eaglesham where his parents had homesteaded in 1928. After attending school in Fox Creek and high school in Eaglesham, he drove truck for BJ Services in Valleyview and Whitecourt. During this time, he met and married Marge Lehman and they were blessed with two sons. After his father’s passing in 1967, he moved back to the farm to take over the family business, gradually shifting its focus from grain farming to cattle ranching.

Jerry leaves behind his companion Ardina Armitage, his sons Troy (Ryan) of Vancouver and Sheldon of Toronto, his sister Jermaine Wunderly of Sherwood Park and his sister-in-law Marge of Calgary.

He was predeceased by his parents, Raymond and Esther Shannon; his siblings, Dave, Laurence, and Ardis Suek; his brothers-in-law, Ralph Suek and George Wunderly; his sister-in-law, Winnie Shannon, his nephews and niece, Randy Suek, Kirk Shannon, and Lori Walker, and his great-nephew, Kole Pierson.

Jerry had a love for horses and rural life. His greatest passion throughout his life was attending rodeos across the Peace Country or watching them on television. In his earlier years, he spent many seasons competing in his two favourite events—the relay race and the walk-trot-run—bringing home numerous trophies over the years. In the last twenty years, he shared his love of horses with the community, using his teams to offer sleigh rides during the St. Isidore Carnival and, in the summertime, giving wagon rides to children at the local fair.

More than anything, Jerry loved people. His kitchen table was a gathering place—always open, always welcoming. Whether you stopped in for a quick coffee or stayed long enough to lose track of the time, Jerry greeted everyone with warmth, a good story, and often a joke or two. He lived by the Shannon Creed: “The rougher it is, the better we like it.” It was a perfect reflection of his spirit—resilient, good-humoured, and always ready to take on whatever came his way.

For those wishing to honour Jerry’s memory, donations may be made to the Grande Prairie Cancer Centre (c/o GPRH Foundation, 11205 110 St, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 4B1).

Cremation has taken place. Interment of ashes at Pleasant Heights Cemetery will take place at a later date.