David Shannon

David Charles Shannon

March 11, 1962 – February 2, 2018

David was a unique and bright shining light who left us much too soon after a challenging illness. He dedicated his life to social justice through his activism, unyielding courage and willingness to flout convention. For decades, he advocated for LGBTQ rights and worked as a journalist at the CBC, the Montreal Mirror (columnist of “Out in the City”) and hosted the ground-breaking “Homo Show” at CKUT Radio. He was a co-founder of ACCM (AIDS Community Care Montreal) and ACT UP Montreal (AIDS Coalition to unleash Power). He essentially lived his life as a man for others. Most only aspire to see change; David made it happen. People from all walks of life sought David’s insightful writing, observations and commentary. Favourite topics included popular culture, social trends, fashion, politics, and gender issues. He possessed style, a deep appreciation for the arts, a penchant for detail, and a memory that could alarm. He had a wonderful sense of humour and loved to tell stories. David was deeply loved by his four brothers Craig (Kristin), Donnie (Celia), Christopher (Hilary), and John (Christine). He was the beloved uncle to Trevor, Hayley (Scott), Thor, Leah (Christopher), Big Matthew, Jack, Callie and Little Matthew, great-uncle to Leif. He had many close friends and admirers and all will miss his special wit, passion, and the spark of engagement that defined his spirit and sense of humanity. In lieu of flowers, please consider honouring David with a donation to one of the following: Casey House in Toronto (https://www.caseyhouse.com), CAMH (http://camh.ca) or ACCM (https://accmontreal.org). A celebration of his life will occur in Toronto at the Tranzac Club at 292 Brunswick Ave. at 7 PM on Thursday, February 15, 2018. At David’s request, it will be a party, so please bring your dancing shoes!