Tom was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Feb. 28, 1944, one day before leap year. His parents are Stella Miller Shannon and the late Thomas M. Shannon.
He grew up in Pittsburgh, Lorain Ohio and Gary Indiana. Every time his family moved back to Pittsburgh they would buy a house on Highview Rd., getting a larger one each time. He is the oldest of two sisters and two brothers. He attended Carnegie Mellon University, previously Carnegie Institute of Technology, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and he received his Masters Degree in Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh.
He met Vicki in July of 1961 and they were married April 11, 1964. They lived in Pittsburgh off and on, always returning after the overseas assignments were finished. They have six children, Erin Shannon-Auel, a director for Blue Cross Blue Shield in Pittsburgh, Dr. Tom Shannon III in New Orleans, Mike Shannon, manager at Kenneth’s Car Care in Kingwood, Heather Prowell, 6th grade math teacher for Creekwood Middle School, Brenden Shannon, a sales engineer for Mazak Corp. in Houston, and twin brother, James, supply chain manager for Kerry Ingredients and Flavours in Wisconsin. Tom and Vicki, at last count, have 17 grandchildren and a great granddaughter!
Tom held many North American and overseas jobs with United State Steel, Dravo Corp. and Rust Engineering based in Pittsburgh, V.P. at Cupples Products in St. Louis. Project Director at Century Contractors in Kingwood, Consumers Energy in Dearborn/Detroit and lastly Exterran in Houston. Projects overseas took Tom and, many times, his family to Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela; Soroako, Indonesia (6 years); Mexico City; Ghana, West Africa. Plus numerous business trips to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, England, Germany and Kuwait.
Besides enjoying time with his family, Tom also loved fishing and golf. He always looked forward to visiting other countries and seeing all the sights while there. Add to that his delight in bargaining for paintings, artwork and crafts with the many vendors. His home in Kings Manor can prove that he usually won the bargain! People say it looks like a museum.
He also volunteered for Care Partners at St. Martha and Adoration at St. Martha which he was so happy to do.
Tom enjoyed almost 3 years in the Rose Garden memory care facility at Rosemont and the staff, who were like family to him.
He will be dearly missed by family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Organization, www.alz.org/join_the_cause_donate.asp
And to M. D. Anderson’s cancer research www.mdanderson.org/howyoucanhelp
For more information about the life of Tom and to sign the electronic guest book please visit www.darstfuneralhome.com
Visitation: A visitation was held on 2015-02-15 at Darst Funeral Home.
To express your sympathy with a flower arrangement please contact our florist.
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