Obituary of Shawna Willard-Thiessen

Shawna Lyne Willard-Thiessen passed away at Lloydminster, Alberta on Monday, December 12, 2016 at the age of 48 years. Shawna is survived by: her husband, Darryl; daughter, Nikki; son, Josh; grandson, Jayden; mother, Anne Willard; two brothers, Mike (Angela) and their children, Allyson and Jim and Dave (Jennifer) and their children Julie and Erin; mother-in-law, Ruth Thiessen; and numerous relatives and friends. A Memorial Service for Shawna will be held at the Wildrose Pavilion, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan on Friday, December 16, 2016 at 10:30 AM. Donations in Shawna's memory may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. EULOGY - Good Morning Everyone, my name is Dionne Lindsay and I am one of Shawna’s life-long friends. We met when I moved to Lloyd at the age of 4. It is a great honor to be a part of her celebration today. Shawna Willard-Thiessen was born on March 21, 1968 in Lloydminster, SK, to Jim and Anne Willard. Shawna will be greatly missed by her husband Darryl; daughter Nikki, her boyfriend Trevor and grandson Jayden; son Josh, and his girlfriend Chantelle; mother Anne; mother-in-law Ruth; brother Mike and his wife Ang and their children, Ally & Jim; brother Dave and his wife Jen and their children, Julie & Erin; the Thiessen family and numerous other family, friends and co-workers. Growing up, Shawna played in the crescent with neighborhood kids some of whom are still very close friends today. Centennial Drive was the best place to grow up. There wasn't any technology "back then" except for 8-track players and record players. Shawna and all the neighborhood kids could always be seen playing hopscotch, skipping, riding bikes, playing hide 'n seek in the dark, oh...and maybe the odd game of Knock, Knock Ginger! Shawna loved to sing!! There were many concerts performed in her basement where the girls were found Belting out many ABBA tunes. The day Shawna turned five was a major disappointment for her. Instead of a little sister, another little brother was born!! She quickly came around and Dave became her new play thing. She spent summers at Turtle Lake visiting with family and friends. Shawna’s Dad Jim passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in 1983. This was a very rough time for Shawna. She was only 15 years old, however she persevered with the help of family and great friends. These friends even helped Shawna arrange parties at her house while her Mom was at work...forgetting they were in a small close knit crescent. Growing up, Shawna always had perfect hair and makeup and always wore PINK! She was kind of a quiet instigator and had quite a comical demeanor. We remember the time at the mall parking lot, when someone was hiding wobbly pops under the hood, as people were walking by she "rubbed" her hands together and said, "OK girls, let's fix this engine!" If Shawna had any downfalls, it may be that she always lost her cell phone and it usually took her 2 to 3 weeks to return a text. Her friends thought it was just them, but Mike concluded “It was Everyone!” Shawna touched the lives of many people. She was such a kind and caring person with a smile that made everyone smile back. This is evident by all of the emotional and touching posts on the Facebook page started by her friends and all of you here in attendance today. A few quotes we gathered about Shawna... - A typical Shawna moment, being silly and making everyone smile - Shawna had the most generous, kind and caring soul - Her kindness, compassion, humor and love for people has enriched many lives - She always had a kind inviting smile - Her presence seemed to have an aura of kindness Shawna had an individual and strong connection and bond with each of her nieces, nephews and her grandson. She could always be silly with them without caring what other people thought. Shawna made each of them feel very special. Shawna’s first job after taking Early Childhood Development in Vermilion was at Rainbow Castle Daycare. It was there that she met a little girl named Nikki who’s pigtails were always tied too tight. Shawna would always take them out and put them into little braids. Nikki, her Dad Brian and Shawna became a family. On October 8th, 1991, Josh joined the family. Nikki and Josh were the light of Shawna’s life until her grandson Jayden was born. Then...they were a close second. Jayden referred to Shawna as "Mamey". She referred to him as "Buggy". They spent as much time together as possible. Whether on the many road trips singing to Katie Perry, Pink or Avril Lavigne or snuggling on the couch watching TV. Shawna cherished their time together. Shawna met the love of her life, Boo, in the late Nineties. They moved in together shortly after. Boo welcomed Nikki and Josh into his home and is a very important part of their lives today. Shawna and Boo were married on March 30, 2002. She was overjoyed to be a part of the Thiessen family; all of whom she loved dearly. In 2005, Shawna, Boo and Josh moved to Edson. It was a special time in their lives. She loved the mountains, trips to Jasper, hanging out at the river or Friday nights at the Castaway. Shawna made many wonderful lasting friendships. Shawna worshiped the sun. She and Boo had the opportunity to go on a few sunny vacations including Mexico and Cuba. I'm sure after a 30 degree day she still went to bed in flannel pajamas and Uggs! She always chose jobs that gravitated her towards people needing a little extra help. She often thought about getting out of that line of work but was always drawn back into the jobs she loved. In Edson, Shawna worked for the Alberta Drug Coalition helping many vulnerable kids, as was her way. They moved back to Lloydminster a few years ago and Shawna worked at the Pioneer Lodge. She wasn't always politically correct. When she worked at the Pioneer Lodge she referred to the seniors as "You Ol' Farts" or "Fossils". It was always with affection. Her demeanor allowed her to get away with it. She also worked at the Bea Fisher Center and finally the Lloydminster Comprehensive High School as an EA. She made many strong relationships with both the students she worked with, as well as the staff she worked with. Shawna always chose to use humorous phrases when leaving rather than say good-bye. Her nieces and nephews recalled her always using these phrases: smell ya later, peace out poopies, stay out of jail, and bonus nochos. Peace Out Shawna! Smell Ya Later! Love Ya!