Madeleine Sophie Shannon

Madeleine Sophie (Foss) SHANNON Was born September 29, 1925 to Colonel Elmer T. Foss and Madeleine Booth Foss in San Francisco... As a young child she traveled with her family attending schools in various places, including Puerto Rico and Philadelphia. She attended Maryville College in St. Louis,. graduating in June, 1946. Madeleine was from an original pioneer family of Seattle. Her grandmother traveled by covered wagon to Seattle in the 1870s. Madeleine came to Seattle where she met Herbert Brock Shannon in July, 1946. They were married in Menlo Park, CA. on November 16, 1946. They raised eight children during forty happy years until his death in December, 1986. During their time together they were both very devoted to their children, their church community and the local city government. Madeleine and her beloved husband, Herb were instrumental in the incorporation of Medina in 1951. Herb and Madeleine also helped found Sacred Heart Parish in 1951, first in downtown Bellevue, and then worked hard to help move the fledgling Parish to its current location on Clyde Hill. The two of them had students in the parish school for its first 30 years. With Madeleine and Herb as pillars of the parish, it flourished and grew. Madeleine gave countless hours to various organizations. She had an amazing God-given ability to help all those around her with an incredible selfless attitude. Two generations of eastside children were raised under Madeleine's loving arms. As a parent, she helped raise not only her eight children, but also a whole neighborhood of children, as a caretaker, babysitter, and neighbor. Her home was always open to the children of the neighborhood, and her backyard was their oasis. She opened a daycare that cared for scores of children who benefited from her loving and secure care and common sense and wisdom. Later, she also spent nearly twenty years helping care for a new generation of children as a childcare worker at Sacred Heart, and a kitchen supervisor at Medina Elementary. Madeleine was still involved with childcare and volunteer activities at Sacred Heart until four weeks before her death. She also greatly enjoyed her knitting groups that raised money for various charities. Madeleine was preceded in death by Herbert Brock Shannon, her parents, Elmer and Madeleine Foss, and her brother, Theodore Foss. She is survived by her eight children: Susie Shannon of Boise, ID; Jim Shannon & Kathy Wehr of Portland, OR; Evie Gradilla of Redmond, WA, Mary & Mark Christensen of Medford Lakes, NJ; Larry Shannon & Jan Simonds of Seattle: John & Amy Shannon of Sammamish, WA; Anne & Brian Emanuels of Mercer Island, WA; Cindy & Jay Bonner of Kirkland, WA; 21 grandchildren and one great-grandchild; and by her sister, Nadine & Gene Mastin of Aptos, CA and brother, Laurence (Tom) Foss & Joan Mersch of Menlo Park, CA. Funeral Services are at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, May 19th, at Sacred Heart Church, in Bellevue. Donations may be made in lieu of flowers: Sacred Heart Parish and School, 9460 NE 14th, Bellevue, WA 98004 or Maryville University Alumni, 13550 Conway Road, St. Louis MO, 63141.