Remembering Shawn...

[phg]

very sad to hear this

don't think I ever met shawn but we did a few ticket deals I think...

too young

:-(

[messengerbird]

Your memory will live on in your photos Shawn. Keep on grooving......

[sophist]

it feels so selfish to be melodramatic



but i had a really hard day 5/18/12

I think that's understandable.  I def empathize with you.  The news of his death hit me kind of hard.  Cause its someone I did know, and someone I did interact with and communicate with outside of this board.  It's someone I spent time with and made beautiful memories with, memories that highlight the very essence of being on the edge of life itself.  And on a human level that's heavy, very heavy.  I also looked at the fact that the guy was born a year before me, and yeah, it just filled my heart with a lot of sadness that such a wonderful person was removed from this earth so early in the game. 

And then I look at Shawn himself, and his dedication to Phish's music is just as inspiring, and I think about how easy it is to get caught up in the bullshit that I do, and here was a guy, a man, who's life was complicated on levels that I can't even fathom, and he's not caught up in bullshit.  Not at all, and that's mind blowing on many levels to me.  All and all, yeah, it is very tough to hear news like this when you can connect the face to the internet handle, and you know the person behind the computer screen. 

::pours one out for Shawn::

[mattstick]

Shawn Michael Williams

McGuffey grad worked for Local 798, loved music

Shawn Michael Williams, 29, of Claysville, died Thursday, May 17, 2012, in Washington Hospital, following a nine-year illness.

He was born February 4, 1983, in Wheeling, W.Va., son of Dave (Beth) Williams Jr. and Lucia "Lynn" Onopiuk Brogley (Tom Burns), both of Claysville.

Mr. Williams was a graduate of McGuffey High School and formerly worked as a pipeliner for Local 798.

He enjoyed music, traveling and photography and was an avid Steelers and Penguins fan.

He will be greatly missed by his dog, Blu, whom he loved dearly.

Mr. Williams was Catholic and most recently attended North Buffalo Presbyterian Church.

Surviving are siblings Davey (Michaela) Williams and Lyndsey Brogley; stepsiblings Nichole Primavera, Breanne (Jay) Knightly, Chris Allen, Amanda Nichols, Josie Nichols and P.J. Nichols; grandparents Jane and Dave Williams; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

He also leaves his Phishing brothers and sisters, fans of the band Phish.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington, where services will be held at 1 p.m., Tuesday, May 22, with the Rev. Rick Bruckner officiating. Burial will follow in Washington Cemetery. Additional information and guest book are available at www.NealFuneralHome.com.

[mattstick]

I've been having a hard time coming to grips with Shawn's death over the last couple of days.

On one level, a lot of us "kind of" know each other, and we try to keep each other in the loop of our lives... So in that respect it was really shocking and hard to believe.  I read back some of his last posts on Phishposters and saw a guy who was looking forward to getting to Watkins Glen again, looking forward to poster drops and telling us not to worry about how annoying a specific board member was...

But on another level, I don't really know what he was going through, how he was feeling, if he had come to terms with his illness taking his life, and on that level I'm very sad.

I also will really miss the guy.

I guess my best memory of Shawn was at Bonnaroo 2008, during the Jackie Greene acoustic set I stood next to the soundboard (he seemed to know to look for me there), Shawn was in the handicapped section... It was the last day of Bonnaroo and everyone was really tired, but Shawn was there super happy, smiling and enjoying the mellow acoustic music.

My last interaction with Shawn was on Record Store Day this year when he offered to pick me up a couple titles at midnight on Friday... I was asleep, didn't get the messages, and I'm not sure if I ever got back to him to say thanks.  I know Shawn did a lot of favours for people selflessly, I wish I could have returned the favour before he left us.

Goodbye Shawn, RIP.

[mbw]

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to Benaroya Research Institute, Virginia Mason Foundation, 1218 Terry Avenue, P.O. Box 1930, D1-MF Seattle, WA 98111-1930, to support research for Relapsing Polychondritis.

maybe we can make a group donation in his name or something.  i don't know.

[khalpin]

Riding the rail at Bonnaroo '09

[mehead]

Riding the rail at Bonnaroo '09

mint pic

[lifeboy13]

Very sad news.  I barely check in here anymore but I remember many nights, following along with the live set lists or whatever topic, and Shawn was always a part of it.  I never met Shawn in RL that I know of, but we were at many of the same shows and hung out in the forums and the old Furthur chat room.  My deepest sympathies and prayers go out to his family as they now have to try to put this behind them. 

How did it go again?
<Lifeboy> Doob
<Truxel> A big fatty for WhyWeigh

[guyforget]

week4paug.net will be closed for 1 hour tomorrow during the funeral.  from 1 to 2 pm est tues may 22 we will observe a virtual moment of silence in remembrance of our friend, shawn williams. 

[cleech74]

Just saw this.  Condolences to anyone that was close to him or knew him as an aquaintence.  I never met the man, but have admired many of his great photos.

[Pholy M. Pia]

So it goes. Very sad, he seemed a resonant spirit.

RIP

[Superfreakie]

Thanks Guy.

[Buffalo Budd]

Thanks Guy.

[ytowndan]

Thanks Guy.