BANGOR – Shawn C. Russell passed away Sunday, July 17, 2011, after an extremely courageous six-year battle with cancer. He was born Oct. 27, 1953, in Waterville, the youngest of three boys to Wendell Russell and Jean (Desveaux) Russell.
Throughout his life, Shawn’s amazing resilience in overcoming the many obstacles that he faced inspired anyone lucky enough to have known him. In his early childhood, Shawn suffered from Legg-Calve’-Perthes disease and as a result spent four years between the ages of 2 and 6 in a full body cast. In spite of this challenge, “Shawnski-Babe,” as his beloved grandmother, Irene Russell called him, had many happy memories of his childhood spent at his family home on Messalonskee Lake, Oakland, as well as at the Russell Family’s Pine Hill Dairy Farm, Garland Road, Winslow. Shawn and his older brothers, Guy and Lance, spent many a summer milking cows and bailing hay for his grandparents, Wendell Sr. and Irene. As a teenager, Shawn and his family moved to Hermon, where he graduated from Hermon High School in 1972. Upon graduating Shawn attended the University of Maine, Orono and Augusta. Shawn’s biggest passion in life was music. An incredibly gifted musician, Shawn was an amazingly talented bass player and his nearly 40-year musical career will be remembered for years to come by those who knew and loved him. In 1975 Shawn started the band, Monacle, with friends, Danny Monaghan, Dennis Weeks and Bob Riley, and later went on to perform with bands, Surrender and Pure Pleasure. In 1978 Shawn joined the Dogs, and along with band mates, Kurt Bruton, Buddy Adams and Dennis Garrett, went on to co-write and produce three successful albums. Shawn spent 10 years playing with the Dogs and he often delighted friends and family with his many stories of time spent touring and performing with his band. It was also in 1978 that Shawn first met Nancy Lee Straight Russell, his best friend, life partner, “only true love” and “future ex-wife,” as he referred to her. Shawn and the Dogs performed often at Keddy’s Motor Inn, Presque Isle, where Nancy was the bar manager. Shawn and Nancy went on their first date in 1986, and were married Nov. 1, 1987, at their home in Presque Isle. Shawn and Nancy shared a uniquely special bond from the time they met and they considered themselves to be soulmates. Together Shawn and Nancy opened their first bar and restaurant, Shananigan’s, Presque Isle. It was also at that time that they found out they were expecting their first child, Kathryn “Katy” Irene, who was born May 23, 1989. Four years later, Shawn and Nancy welcomed a son, Shawn Michael, also born May 23. As quoted by Shawn, his children were “the proudest achievement of his life” and according to him, “The Lord could not make two more perfect people.” Together Shawn and Nancy owned and operated a second bar and restaurant in Presque Isle called The State Street Pub, where Shawn formed the house band, “The State Street Band”. Shawn very much enjoyed the years of performing at the pub with his talented band mates and friends. Shawn, Nancy and their children spent many happy years at their home on Dyer Street, Presque Isle, where they welcomed many friends and family. Most recently, Shawn enjoyed spending time at his home in Bangor with very dear friends, Danny Monaghan, Helen Hoover and Buddy and Rena Adams, who all maintained substantial roles in helping to care for him during his battle with cancer. Shawn loved to golf, especially with his father, Wendell. Shawn, alongside his wife and daughter, loved watching his son’s baseball games for many years. Shawn loved to read, anything and everything, and was an avid New England Sports fan. Shawn loved to go fishing with his father, brothers and son. Shawn will be remembered as an extremely handsome, talented, intelligent, witty man whose biggest passions in life were his music and his family. He was adored by all who knew him and an inspiration for those lucky enough to have crossed his path.
Shawn is survived by his wife, Nancy Straight Russell of Benton; their children, Katy and Shawn, also of Benton; his father, Wendell Russell and his wife, Sandra, of Orrington; his brothers, Lance Russell and his wife, Lee, of Queensland, Australia, and Guy Russell and his wife, Debbie, of Winslow; many friends and members of his extended family, including his mother-in-law, Doris Straight; sister-in-law, Linda Shaw; niece, Casey Carson; nephew, Steven Straight; many other special aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. He will be fondly remembered by two special aunts, Dawn Beatson and Cilla Hamlin. He was predeceased by his mother, Jean Russell.
Shawn requested that no services be held. For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to The Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers, Development Department, 93 Silver St., Waterville, ME 04901. Arrangements by Kiley & Foley Funeral Service, Bangor and Brewer. Condolences may be offered to his family at
www.kileyandfoley.com.