MICHAEL JAMES SHANNON 17 June ~ 26 March 2018

Mike was born 17 June 1940 at St. John's Hospital in Oxnard, California, the first child and only son of Kenneth Walter and Caroline Minnie (Petit) Shannon. He was the grandchild of early Ventura County Pioneers, Albert Clayton and Elvita (Snow) Petit. He passed away in Ogden Utah.

Mike and his younger sister, Kathleen, were raised in Oxnard and spent most of their time at the ranch on Dempsey Road (Channel Islands Blvd).

Farm life suited Mike and he started working at an early age moving sprinkler pipe and helping the ranch foreman, Louis Urango, prune the lemon trees. Mike learned most of farming skills from his uncle, David Petit, while working on the home ranch.

Mike attended schools in Oxnard and loved sports. He was able to work that and raising livestock around school and farming. He graduated from Oxnard Union High School in 1959. Due to the death of his father the same year, Mike stayed home and continued to work on the ranch beginning his lifelong career of farming.

Mike and his wife Shirley (Hainline) attended school together since attending Driffell in the 3 ^rd grade. They married in 1965 and started their life together in Camarillo where they met other young couples who became life-long friends.

In 1968 he joined his wife in becoming a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and their life took a different direction from that conversion.

Mike was sought out by new company that was formed in Lompoc, CA and in 1969 he moved his family to northern Santa Barbara County to manage Del Mar Packing. In 1976 Mike started farming on his own and his operation grew to include harvesting tomatoes for Hunts, Contadina, La Victoria and Pace, ect. His harvesting business took him all over California and Arizona harvesting for other farming operations. By the 1990's he was farming 2500 acres in Santa Barbara and Kern Counties. During this time Mike employed up to 150 employees and was known to be a kind and generous employer. He helped many a young man buy his first car or house. He was also generous to those less fortunate who knew not from where their blessings came.

Mike's only hobby is in later years was the Laker's basketball. He owned season tickets and would invite his friends to attend the home games with him.

Upon leaving California to live in Utah, instead of retirement; he sought out new things and started working for Ogden Auto, driving a tow truck for AAA. He loved the freedom this gave him and he loved meeting new people. His employer, Tom Baur, often mentioned that mike was the employee they ever had.

Mike was an honest, gentle and kind, hardworking, spiritual man who was looked up by others including his children. He was devoted to his children and his wife throughout his life.

Mike was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth "Shag" Shannon in 1959, his mother, Caroline Shannon in 1965 and his eldest son, James Michael Hainline Shannon in 2009.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley; his sister Kathleen (Bob) Chesser of "Delaware, Ohio; his daughters, Shannon Shannon of Billings, MT, Whitney Spackman of Santa Barbara, CA; Darren Shannon of Santa Maria, CA and Laurel Zaugg of Stansbury Park, UT. He is also survived by his son, Patrick of Duschene, UT. In addition to his children, he is survived by his 21 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

There will be a memorial at the LDS Chapel on 212 E Central Avenue, Lompoc, CA on the 7 ^th of April, 2018 at 11 am. Interment will be at the Lompoc Cemetery immediately after the services.