Shannon Marie (Christman) Tierney

Shannon Marie (Christman) Tierney

Shannon Marie (Christman) Tierney of Port Townsend, Washington passed on Saturday, October 12, 2024 from complications of dementia. She passed comfortably and peacefully in her sleep at her son’s home in Port Orchard under his loving care, exactly as she wanted. She was born October 4, 1950, in Seattle, Washington to Doris Mae (Tierney) Wilkinson and George Fabrique (Fab) Christman. She attended Blanchet High School, Ingraham High School, Peninsula College, Western Washington University and the University of Washington.

Shannon married James L. Thompson in 1969 and they had a son, Odin Thompson.

After several years of extensive research and navigating the legal system, Shannon found and reconnected with her birth daughter, who was adopted at infancy. Shannon (and Odin) met her for the first time in 1985, fulfilling one of Shannon’s dreams as a mother.

After parting with her fourth husband, Shannon moved in with her son and continued her collegiate education. She was an honor student at Peninsula College obtaining her associate’s degree 1995. She graduated from Western Washington University in 1997 with her Bachelor of Arts in Human Services. In 1999 she earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Washington. Afterward her son always affectionately referred to her as “Master Mom” or “Master Shannon.” It became their new mantra, which they continued until her passing. Her son always told her after her diagnosis that not even dementia could stop her from being a “master!”

Shannon bought her home in Port Townsend in 1996 and started her private practice as a clinical social worker/family therapist in 1998. She successfully ran her practice for the next 20 years, officially retiring in 2018.

Shannon reconnected with her favorite cousin Christine (Christman) Escalada in 2000 thanks to her sister Karalee inviting her on a trip to New Orleans for the NO Jazz Festival, fulfilling another one of her lifetime goals. In the spring of 2007 Christine and her husband Louis came up to visit Shannon, and they all took a weeklong trip around the entire Olympic Peninsula, just prior to Christine’s passing. Reconnecting with her cousin and the precious time they spent together meant the world to Shannon.

Shannon was an avid and devout Buddhist practitioner for most of her life and focused on praying for world peace.

Shannon loved her family, vacationing with them, and attending family holiday celebrations. She loved music and attending jazz, blues and rock festivals and concerts. She attended her last several concerts with her loving son - Fleetwood Mac “Rumors” reunion tour (her 65th birthday present), Pat Benatar, Blue Oyster Cult, and finally Blondie in 2023. Shannon also loved opera and musicals, especially Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, and saw both “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Cats” multiple times. She enjoyed nature, walking through the woods and trailheads, going to her local community parks in Port Townsend, and the ocean. Her favorite destination was Mt. Rainier. Shannon loved collecting native and indigenous paintings and cultural art pieces. She also adored children’s dolls. She loved cooking and creating her own recipes (a love she passed on to her son Odin) and made the BEST chicken curry, Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes with gravy, and the most incredible crusted apple pie anyone ever tasted. Her favorite color was always blue, and her home with her fourth husband Tony Arndt, prior to buying her own house in Port Townsend, was on 555 Blue Sky Drive, which she fondly remembered up to her passing.

She loved children most of all, and even in her last few years battling late-stage dementia, she would light up when seeing them out with her son to dinner or shopping. You could literally see her eyes widen and light up, and you could actually see and feel the love and light emanating from her heart as she watched them.

Shannon privately celebrated her 74th and final birthday at her son’s home on October 4, 2024, with home-made hamburgers (her new favorite) and they watched one of her favorite movies, “Fire in The Sky” together.

Shannon was a wonderful, loving, compassionate, kind, caring, thoughtful and amazing FIRE-CRACKER of an Irish woman and mother. She had a rough upbringing, followed by several tumultuous relationships, all of which she overcame, tackling every obstacle that came her way. She became a proud homeowner, business owner, and clinical social worker who enabled positive change in the lives of thousands of families right in her beautiful community of Port Townsend. She was an inspiration and positive influence in the life of everyone who ever knew her. Shannon will be remembered forever by all of her family and friends, as well as all the people whose lives she immeasurably changed for the better. Shannon’s mission in life was to selflessly bring joy, peace, and happiness to the lives of everyone she met.

Shannon was preceded in death by her parents, first husband Jim Thompson, second husband Richard, fourth husband Tony Arndt, sister-in-law Marilyn (Shellrude) Christman, and cousin Christine (Christman) Escalada. She is survived by her son, Odin Thompson, ex-daughter-in-law Maija Terry, ex-daughter-in-law Kaitlin Cudaback, her siblings Shawn Christman (Barb Lautman), Karalee Woody, Mary Jeane Myers, and JoAnn (Doug) Bowen, her nieces and nephews Ryan Christman, Sarah Christman, Shannon (Herb) Gross, Brandon Woody, Brenna Myers, Michaela Myers, Jalena Myers, Alysha Myers, Rebecca Myers, Emma Myers and Elizabeth Bowen, and great-nieces and nephews Jonah Gross, Aemilia Borneman, Claire Gross and Anastacia Christman.

A Celebration of Life Ceremony officiated by her son Odin Thompson will be held at 1pm on Saturday, November 9 at Rill Chapel, 1151 Mitchell Ave., Port Orchard, WA 98366, followed by a private wake at her son's home in Port Orchard.

A private ceremony will be held at Fort Flagler Park in Port Townsend.

Memorials and donations may be made to GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/celebrate-shannons-life-support-odin