MURPHYSBORO – Fern Estelle Shannon, 93, of Murphysboro, Illinois passed away February 22, 2026, in hospice care at Carbondale Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Illinois.

Fern was born on October 12, 1932, to Erle and Grace (Bigham) Hallbauer of Cutler, Illinois. She attended a one room schoolhouse and then graduated from Trico in the class of 1950. She married Claude Shannon in Denmark, Illinois, December 18, 1954, and established their home on the Shannon Farm, which was homesteaded in 1840 by Claude’s Great Grandfather, outside Murphysboro, Illinois. She was instrumental in getting the farm recognized as a “Centennial Farm” and finally a “Sesquicentennial Farm”. In addition to helping on the farm, she drove a school bus for Trico. They were members of Camp Creek Baptist Church of Murphysboro, Illinois. They had three children, two daughters and one son.

Claude preceded Fern in death on March 5, 2025, after celebrating 70 years of marriage. Fern is survived by daughters: Claudia (Mark) Kinder of Murphysboro, Carol (Rodney) Brown of Murphysboro; son, Donald Shannon (Karla Morgan) of Murphysboro; grandchildren: Adam (Audrey) Kinder, Joshua Kinder, Sarah (Eric) Allen, Emily (Brandon) Taylor, Ashley Brown (fiancé Caleb Schwinn), Grant (Jennifer) Brown, Michelle Godwin, and Morgan Cook; great-grandsons: Ezekiel, Tobias and Theodore Kinder, Jacob, Nolan and Oliver Allen, great-granddaughters: Bailey Brown, Johanna and Maddie Lynn Godwin; one cousin, and numerous nephews and nieces.

Fern was also preceded in death by her parents, sisters and brothers-in-law: Helen (Mervin) Smith and Melba Jean (Russell) Campbell; brothers and sisters-in-law: Henry Shannon, Wilma Shannon, Kenneth Shannon, Ernest Shannon, Kathryn Smith, Verna Nobel, and Claudine Shannon.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 11:00, at Wilson Funeral Home in Ava, Illinois, with Bill Smith officiating. Burial to follow at Murdale Garden of Memory Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday morning, where friends may call from 9:00 am until time of the service at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be directed to Camp Creek Cemetery and can be mailed to Wilson’s Funeral Home, P.O. Box 277, Ava, IL 62907.