Shannon A. Van Horn

Lima, OH,

Shannon A. Van Horn, age 53, was called into the presence of the Lord on September 12, 2025, at 6:51 am, at his residence. Shannon was born on November 4, 1971, in Lima, OH, to Michael A. and Monna J. (Fanaff) Van Horn who preceded him in death. On June 29, 1991, he married Tina M. (Reed) Van Horn who survives in Lima.

My beloved high school sweetheart, the love of my life, and the most incredible man I've ever had the honor of knowing, Shannon Van Horn, went to be with our Lord and Savior on Friday morning. With tear-soaked eyes, I am writing this struggling to find the right words to express a life filled with commitment, sacrifice, love, and loyalty-words that truly capture all he meant to those of us who loved him.

Shannon embodied selflessness, always prioritizing the needs of others above his own. From the very beginning of our journey together, his love and unwavering commitment to family, friends, and loved ones shone through in everything he did. He had a passion for hunting and fishing and loved nothing more than spending time with his family.

He worked tirelessly to support our family and be there for all of us. He continuously sacrificed his own comfort to uplift those around him.

As a father and mentor to our two children, Matthew Van Horn and Emily (Dustin) Ritchie, he was unparalleled. He cherished hunting and fishing with our son Matthew, our daughter Emily, his dad, and Uncle Terry. He cherished time spent working on projects with Matthew, whom he fondly referred to as "his right-hand man." Our son Matthew shared a special bond with his dad. Shannon cherished spending quality time with our daughter Emily, whom he affectionately called his "Pooh Bear." He loved the humor and precious time that he and Emily shared, he always said that Emily looked like me but had his personality through and through. Teaching his children life lessons and how to always think ahead brought him immense happiness.

Shannon received no greater joy than from our four precious grandchildren: Jaxin, Matthew Jr., Mason, and Pauline, who lovingly called him "Papa." He often said that having grandchildren brought a whole new level of love to his heart that could only be experienced by becoming a grandparent. He enjoyed teaching his grandsons about fishing and hunting and cheering them on at their baseball and football games. He loved teaching Jaxin and Matthew how to cook and grill meat. He loved educating all three of them to have a love for wildlife and the outdoors. A die-hard Ohio State football fan, he loved watching the Buckeyes play with all three of them and especially loved the enthusiasm Mason had for the Buckeyes. He loved how passionate Mason was about football. All three of them cherished their time with their Papa. He was very proud of each of his grandsons and instilled morals and values in them that they will carry with them always. He adored his granddaughter Pauline and loved watching her reach every milestone. He cherished moments spent with her swimming, playing, and watching Disney movies. Pauline brought him immense joy, and her smile "warmed his heart." Each one of his grandchildren gave him the strength to move forward each day, even amidst the immense pain he was enduring. Shannon loved his son-in-law, Dustin. He found great comfort in knowing that Emily had a wonderfully devoted man in her life who would always love and protect her and Pauline.

Shannon was a wonderfully loyal friend. Those fortunate enough to know him understood his willingness to always lend a helping hand. Our best friends, Jon and Anna Chambers, were family to Shannon. He considered Jon a brother and enjoyed spending countless hours working on various home improvement projects with him. He loved fishing with Jon, our grandsons, and Jon's children.

I greatly admired his commitment to caring for his parents in their final days, dedicating himself to their needs and being there for them until the end. Shannon had a deep love and respect for his Uncle Terry, whom he helped as much as possible until his battle with Parkinson's disease sent him to Heaven.

Shannon faced numerous medical challenges, many of which remained unknown to others, yet he met them with unwavering strength and grace. I admired the courage he displayed after losing his older brother and nephew in a tragic car accident. He navigated immense adversity, including life-threatening conditions like peritonitis and septicemia. He spent three months in the hospital battling Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and he struggled with diabetes, high blood pressure, bone-on-bone knee pain, fibromyalgia, and degenerative disc disease. He suffered from broken ribs and torn muscles in his chest, which caused him a lot of pain. For the past six months, he struggled to eat and sleep, and as a result had lost 40 pounds which took a toll on his blood sugar, blood pressure, and his entire body. When he broke his ribs, he also bruised his spleen, which became enlarged and added to his pain. He had gone for four days without sleep or food before finally getting some rest in the early morning hours on Friday. I was so grateful that God allowed him to find some peaceful rest, but unfortunately, his body just couldn't handle the pain he had been enduring, and God called him home peacefully in his sleep. He dealt with these challenges quietly and faced each day with courage.

He also bravely confronted the loss of our son Matthew, who served honorably as a Sergeant in the Marine Corps. Shannon's true grit and strength helped our family navigate through the excruciating pain of losing a child. Through everything, he radiated a strength that held our family together. He was our rock and the heartbeat of our family-my "always and forever."

Shannon left behind a sister, Shelly (Greg) Bitters of Lima, OH whom he loved, and nieces: Gwyn (Bryan) Ernst of Dayton, OH, Brittany (Justin) Davis of Lima, OH and Ashley (Nathan Bierly) Bitters of Lima, OH and a nephew, Chris (Inez) Bitters of Lima, OH. He was extremely proud of all of their accomplishments and the lives they were leading. He was preceded in death by his son, Matthew Michael Freddie Van Horn Sr., a brother, Terry Dotson and a nephew, Terry Dotson Jr.

Shannon was a Christian and believed with all of his heart in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know that he was greeted at the gates of Heaven by a special Marine. This is not goodbye my love, I will see you again one glorious day. Until then I will spend each waking hour trying to live up to your incredible legacy.

Shannon's wishes were not to have a funeral service. We are planning to have a remembrance service for him in the spring. We just need the next few months to deal with our overwhelming grief and to make a new plan for the future. The Chiles-Laman Funeral and Cremation Services, Shawnee Chapel is honored to be assisting the family with funeral arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to the family which will be used for his grandchildren's education. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.chiles-lamanfh.com.