Dickerson, Shanon Wayne
Dickerson, Shanon Wayne—Age twenty-eight. Went to be with our Lord Jesus Christ on May 23, 2002. Shanon is survived by his parents, Bobby and Jerri Dickerson of Huntsville, AL. He was born December 22, 1973. He lived a full and happy life, spending his time dedicated to the interests of others, rather than his own. Shanon loved to travel and spent considerable time in Germany and Hungary teaching English. He was a godly man with a tender heart. His countenance was a blessing to all who came in contact with him. Shanon was known for asking penetrating questions and challenging people not to settle for mediocrity. His compassion for others was only surpassed by his love for God with whom he now enjoys a perfect relationship. Visitation with the family will be held in Huntsville, AL, at the Berryhill Funeral Home on Saturday from 4-8 p.m. and at the Otter Creek Church of Christ prior to the service on Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Funeral services will be held 5 p.m. Sunday, May 26, 2002, at Otter Creek Church of Christ, 5253 Granny White Pike. Pallbearers will be Dr. Allen Adams, Andy Armstrong, Steven Edwards, Randy Matthews, Dr. Scott Smith, Will Trapp, Josh Walters, Gabe Wicks, and David Wilson. Burial will be at the Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville. Memorial donations may be made to the Shanon Dickerson Foundation, c/o Mayfair Church of Christ, 1095 Carl T. Jones Drive, Huntsville, AL 35802. Berryhill Funeral Home, Huntsville, AL (256) 536-9197.
Memorial Service…Shanon Dickerson, December 22, 1973-May23, 2002
The service included Jim Butler (prayer), Gary Bradley of Mayfair Church of Christ (obituary and comments), Phil Kinzer of West End Church of Christ (Psalm 118 and comments), Tim Woodroof (in memory), Brandon Scott Thomas (congregational singing and Praise Team), as well as a slide presentation. Pallbearers will be Dr. Allen Adams, Andy Armstrong, Steven Edwards, Randy Matthews, Dr. Scott Smith, Will Trapp, Josh Walters, Gabe Wicks, and David Wilson. Honorary pallbearers include Lance Brock, Steven Davidson, Joshua Henderson, Jeremy Jennings, Bret Kennedy, Brian Randolph, Andrew Smith, and Marshall Switzer.
From the Living Water website
Shanon Dickerson had family and friends who loved him dearly, tremendous intellectual ability, a personality that drew people from every walk of life and a wit that could make an angry person laugh until it hurt. Rather than investing in self-serving endeavors, Shanon took discipleship of Jesus seriously and used his life to serve others. When a rare cancer forced him to leave full-time mission work in former East Germany, Shanon remained contagiously positive about life, using time between his cancer treatments to serve and befriend those in need.
Whether teaching immigrants English, counseling youth camps, administering career assistance, helping friends overcome addictions or doing the splits on the dance floor, Shanon remained more burdened with those who did not have an advocate of their own. When confronted with the reality that thousands needlessly suffer and die daily from a lack of clean water, Shanon challenged his friends to join him in raising money to drill Water Project was born in 2000. Social events, public speaking events and hobbies were turned into fundraisers, and a sense of responsibility to help the helpless became contagious as well. Though his time on earth was short, through Shanon, a community of people realized they could make a significant difference in thousands of lives by taking ownership of a cause greater than themselves.
Today, through The Living Water Project, Shanon continues his love affair to help the hopeless and dares those who claim Christianity to do the same. His influence led a small group of friends to keep his dream alive and has moved others to join with them. As a result, hundreds of wells have been provided in Africa, India, Central America, for thousands of people with no access to clean water. The Living Water Project is relentless in providing more..
Article by Tim Woodroof for the Otter Creek bulletin, May 26, 2002.
This is the time of year for graduations—high school, college, etc. But this week, we witnessed another kind of graduation. Thursday morning, about 8:30, this family of faith graduated one of its best and brightest. Shanon Wayne Dickerson, age twenty-eight, went to be with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Like all graduations, there is mourning—for memories of times past, for the loss of what we’ve known. But, like all graduations, there is also joy. Shanon’s entire life has been lived for this moment. It is the culmination of all he valued.
Oh, how we will miss him. How we will miss his zest for life, his passion for God. How we will miss his whole- hearted dedication to the Kingdom. We’ll miss his smile and his gentle manner. We’ll miss his friendship. We will mourn Shanon to a degree only those who knew and loved him can understand.
But to limit ourselves to mourning is to deny the very principles by which Shanon lived. So much of him—his heart and soul—were already with the Lord. For years now, he’s lived in the ‘heavenly realms,’ seated with God as a true worshipper. Shanon, more than most people I know, enjoyed the presence of God and longed for more.
If we believe what we claim, if we believe what Shanon claimed, death is not an ending for Shanon. It is a graduation from one kind of life to another, from a life in the flesh to a life in the Spirit. And while those who loved him must mourn, they must also rejoice. For Shanon is home. His Lord has embraced and welcomed him. He’s heard Jesus say, “Well done, my friend!” And now, there is no more pain, no more struggle. He is one with God, the goal of all he has lived and worked for.