Xavier Ryan Shores

NORTHWOOD | Xavier Ryan Shores, 4, of Northwood fought his final battle with Nephroblastoma Cancer on Monday, June 1, 2015, at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, surrounded by his family.

A funeral service for Xavier will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 5, 2015, at the First Lutheran Church, 309 North Ninth St., Northwood, with Reverend Judy Converse officiating.

Burial will be in the Sunset Rest Cemetery in Northwood.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Conner Colonial Chapel, 1008 First Ave. South, Northwood. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to service time on Friday at the church.

Those wishing to give a memorial in his memory, a fund has been established in his name at the Northwood State Bank.

Once upon a time, in a land far away (Mason City, Iowa), a superhero was born, On Feb. 19, 2011, Xavier Ryan Shores was brought into this world. The world rejoiced, as we knew he would change our lives forever. His parents Christopher Shores and Jazmine Willis were given this blessing. Our superhero grew to a young boy, that enjoyed fishing, hunting, playing video games, and dancing with his cousins. His sense of humor and strength proved to all that one day he would save the day. His first courageous battle came on Feb. 14, 2014, with the diagnosis with Nephroblastoma. He remained strong and fought as a superhero would. Numerous treatments and tests tried to defeat him, but he always proved to be too strong. With his super-sidekicks always near, he battled all kinds of villains'… chemo, radiation, and surgeries that were no match for this team of superheroes. As with all superheroes, a day had to come when he would fight his final battle, and on June 1, 2015, Xavier won his last battle.

Left to cherish this superhero, are his daddy, Christopher Shores; his sister, Bailee Shores; his aunt and uncle, Dani and Mike Janssen; grandparents, Kim and Shane McMaster, and Ralph Crom, and Fletcher and Carol Boeshart; special cousins, Michael, Hunter, and Tucker Janssen; his mother, Jazmine Willis; and his brother, Adakis Parkhurst; his step-mother, Taylor Smith; aunts and uncles, Jade Stubbe, Zach Haag, Amanda Carter, and Rose Ficken; several other extended family members and many friends who had helped him on his fight.

Xavier was preceded in death by his uncles, Ryan and Jeff Boeshart; his brother Carter Parkhurst; and cousin, Holley Rickman.

Conner Colonial Chapel, 641-324-1543, ColonialChapels.com.