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Shawn Laurion
SHAWN LAURION
Cedar Rapids
Shawn Laurion, 44, passed away Monday, Oct. 26, 2015, while training on the beach with his U.S. Army Reserves unit at Fort Story Naval Base in Virginia Beach, Va. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home located at 520 Wilson Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids. Services: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, and visitation one hour before at the funeral home, conducted by the Rev. Marty Schumaker. Burial: Troy Mills Cemetery, where military rites will be performed.
Sgt. Emmanual Shawn Laurion was born March 14, 1971, in Pensacola, Fla., son of Craig and Phyllis Laurion. He married his best friend, Tija Thomas, on June 8, 1996, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Shawn worked as a vending technician for Dr. Pepper Snapple, Inc. and honorably served in the Army Reserves for nearly 13 years.
Shawn loved spending time with his beautiful wife, family and friends. He was extremely proud of his children and adored his granddaughters.
He loved photography, geocaching, fishing, hiking and repairing bikes for kids. He enjoyed playing his guitar and piano and also loved to sing.
Shawn was a friend to all and took time to show how he cared about others. He taught us all how to be a good friend. He was proud to lead his squad and loved his military family.
Survivors include his wife, Tija; children, Brittany Haas (Amanda Thurman) and Dustin Montgomery (Elise Carter); granddaughters, Charlotte LaRue and Elizabeth Drew Montgomery; parents, Craig and Phyllis Laurion of Bonner Springs, Kan.; sister, Katie MacDonald; brother, Eric Laurion; father- and mother-in-law, Larry and Esther Thomas; sisters-in-law, Ny-Oka (Brett) Sokol, Junoa Thomas (Scott Steffes) and Gara (Robert) Small; and eight nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Ryan Laurion; uncle, Glen Laurion; maternal grandparents, L.J. and Carol McBride, Walter and Gladys Hoskins; paternal grandparents, Ervin and Gayle Laurion; step-daughter, Megan Montgomery; and Shawn's dog, Cookieschnookie-
wookielookie.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established which will be used to help homeless veterans.
Please share a memory of Shawn at www.murdoch
funeralhome.com under obituaries.
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