Lincoln E. Shannon

Lincoln Earl Shannon was born to Earl and Eloise Shannon on December 10, 1937, in Detroit, Michigan. He was the oldest of four children, with 2 younger brothers and a baby sister.

As a young person, Lincoln realized and developed a love of music. His high school years were dedicated to the study of music and participation in choirs, one of which contributed to a Make Way for Youth performance on WJR, Detroit Radio in 1957.

Later that year, Lincoln joined the United States Air Force, stationed at Otis AFB in Buzzard’s Bay, Massachusetts. After his training, he worked on the Texas Towers as a radio operator. While riding the bus to visit his grandparents, a beautiful woman boarded and needed a seat. Lincoln offered the one next to him, and he knew right away that Carol would be the love of his life. They were married 6 months later and had their first child Teresa on their first anniversary. Over the next couple years they moved from Massachusetts to Alabama and had 2 more children, Ken and Linda. 

Lincoln then moved the family to Arizona where he took a job with General Electric, Co. In 1967, he transferred to a new position at GE Information Services in Rockville, MD, and the family moved back East, settling in Bowie, MD. Mr. Shannon spent the next 45 years as a computer programmer/analyst/engineer, earning several awards for outstanding professional initiative and performance. When he wasn’t working or sitting in traffic on the beltway, he enjoyed reading, writing, and serving the community as a member of the Bowie Jaycees, holding several offices during his tenure. His highest calling, though, was being a Dad, and he and Carol added 1 more child to the family when Megan was born in 1972.

During the last several years of his life, Alzheimer’s disease began to chip away at Lincoln’s mental capacities. Even so, he would put all his efforts into taking care of his wife through several surgeries and a bout with breast cancer. In February of 2023, Carol had 2 massive strokes from which she never recovered. He spent his last 9 months, 2 of them with Carol, in Ameristar Assisted Living where they received excellent care. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior at Thanksgiving, and then passed peacefully 2 months later surrounded by family.

Mr. Shannon was preceded in death by his parents, his brother David, his grandson Daniel, and Carol, his wife of almost 65 years. He is survived by his 4 children, Teresa Owen (Wayland, Jr.) of Elizabeth City, NC, Msgt. Kenneth Shannon (Audrey) of Fredericksburg, VA, Linda Wolfson (Robert) of Palm Coast, FL, and Megan Redmond (Daniel) of Bowie, MD, and by children’s former spouses Ramona Davis and Steven Lenhart; 10 other grandchildren (Elizabeth, Lindsay, Patrick, Laith, Zachary, Amanda, Jonathan, Aleyse, Brandon, and Clayton), and 12 great grandchildren (Tabitha, Daniel Jr., Rylan, Jaxon, Tristan, Logan, Brantley, Ever, Everett, Jordyn, Natalie, and Emersyn).

A private graveside service is planned for both Lincoln and Carol Shannon on St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Westfield, NC.