shawn O. Candela
Godfrey - Shawn O. Candela, 60, passed away June 23, 2022 at his residence.
Born April 3, 1962 in Granite City, he was the son of the late Anthony and Neta (Cox) Candela.
He had been working as a layout editor for The Chicago Tribune and as a copy editor for the Sarasota Observer.
A natural born athlete, he enjoyed watching and playing tennis and volleyball. He dearly loved animals, rescuing them, especially cats; as well as, computer games and gaming.
Surviving are a brother, Kevin (Jackie) Candela of Godfrey; and sister, Candace Candela (Jeff Bannister) of East Alton.Cremation rites were accorded.
A Celebration of Life will follow at a later date.
Memorials are suggested to Alton 5 A's Animal Shelter of Clowder House Foundation in St. Louis.
Marks Mortuary in Wood River was in charge of arrangements.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Telegraph from Jun. 27 to Jun. 30, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Shawn Candela

8 Entries

Jim Getz

July 7, 2022

Shawn was one of my best friends from 1994 to the early 2000s. We met at the Decatur Herald & Review and our friendship continued when he went to Springfield and back up again in St. Louis. After I left St. Louis in 2003, friendship via email just wasn't the same.
But here's what I want people to know:
He was a brilliant page designer and a clever copy editor/headline writer. His front page for when "American Beauty" won best picture, with rose petals drifting down the page, was a thing of beauty itself.
He had an encyclopedic knowledge of literature and film. We both loved the movies. We'd spend hours discussing them, often in a bookstore in Springfield, and unsuccessfully tried our hand at writing a screenplay.
His cleverness also meant he had a great sense of humor.
We took a four-day road trip from San Jose to Salt Lake City and back in either 1997 or 1998. We saw the night sky from the "Loneliest Road in America" in Nevada, where no light pollution interfered with the view.
He was an usher in my wedding in 1999.
He had a huge heart for cats, which he saw as better than humans (and they would agree).
He came to visit me in DC in April, and I was in the midst of moving from one apartment to another, and I regret we just couldn't hang together. Bad timing.
His death leaves a void in our world.

Kevin Carr

July 5, 2022

I met Shawn while working at Papa K's in Wood River. We became good friends almost right away. The night crew would go to Shawn's parents house to play basketball and swim until early morning. He was a great guy. We will all miss his kind and gentle soul.....RIP Shawn.

Caryl Rose Sellars

June 30, 2022

Shawn I had known you since grade school days. Always so nice and friendly to all. RIP friend and condolences to your family.

L Seaton

June 30, 2022

I´m sad to hear about Shawn. He was a friend of my brothers. I have very fond memories of Shawn. As the little sister, he was always a nice guy to me. He will be missed. He

Robert Patrick

June 29, 2022

Although I worked at the Post-Dispatch, I became friends with Shawn through volleyball. He was a great player. Also a great person and a kind soul. He had a huge heart and love of animals and we would see him all the time in our neighborhood, sitting on his porch reading while cats and occasionally other animals wandered in and out of his house. He will be missed greatly.

Lynda Schmitz Fuhrig

June 29, 2022

I am so sad you are gone but glad we briefly reconnected in 2021 after a long time. You were my closest friend on the copy desk in the '90s. We had a shared love of the movies and always went together when we could. I will always remember you. RIP Shawn

Liz Pauketat-Krinsky

June 28, 2022

Shawn, you were my first best friend. All te memories of us playing in our back yards, playing kick ball and chasing the over the fence home runs into the vacant lot and coming back loaded with sand burrs. Riding our bikes around the block and up Metzger, walking to Smitty´s to buy candy, and all the adventures that kids could fit into a summer day before the street light came on, getting called inside by our parents and coming inside grass stained and sticky. Bomb pops from the ice cream truck, a trip to the park. RIP dear friend. That sweet childhood friend will always live on in my heart.

Todd Denton

June 27, 2022

We've been friends for 25 years. He taught me how to drink a gin and tonic and appreciate red wine.

Shawn could be such a sweet and generous guy. I can't believe he's gone. I'm going to miss you so much buddy.

Showing 1 - 8 of 8 results