Shawn Michael McQuade

Petty Officer First Class Shawn McQuade, CD, aged 51 of Wedgewood Park, Halifax – Shawn’s family is beyond crushed to announce his sudden and unexpected passing on Friday, Dec 22, 2017, due to complications related to Addison’s disease.

Born in Halifax in June 1966, Shawn was the middle son of Walter & Kathleen (Laughlin) McQuade of Novalea Drive. He was predeceased by his infant daughter, Melissa Ann in 1997; his uncle James (Jimmy) Laughlin; his aunt Heather (Laughlin) Oakes; his grandparents Joe & Ellen (Wilson) McQuade of Fairview and James & Corrine (Currie) Laughlin Whitman of Novalea Drive and by his father-in-law and close friend, Clyde Grantham.

Shawn in survived by his wife & high school sweetheart, Nancy (Grantham) and their children Matthew (18), Benjamin (15), Megan (14) and Nicole (11), all still living at home; his parents; brothers Randy (Bernadette) and Troy (Cathy); aunts Edythe (Laughlin) Smith (Howard) and Mary (Martin) Laughlin; nephews Nick, David and Brandon; nieces Alexandra, Hayleigh, Maddison and Laura; his mother-in-law Carol (Rowe) Grantham and her children: Daniel Grantham and Shelley (Fleming) (Denis); many close cousins and many, many friends who were like family to him.

Shawn graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in Halifax in 1984. He joined the Royal Canadian Navy in February 1987 where he made many great and lasting friendships, travelled all over the world and proudly served his country for more than 27 years. He served aboard H.M.C. Ships Ottawa, Athabaskan, Algonquin, Iroquois and Preserver and in shore postings to The Canadian Forces Fleet School, FMF Cape Scott and to The Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School, all in Halifax. Shawn was a proud Canadian, a proud Sailor and an even prouder Naval Weapons Technician! He loved the sea and the navy and attained the 3rd-highest rank possible for a non-commissioned member, before his retirement in September 2014. Most recently, Shawn was employed as a Quality Control Inspector at Irving Ship Building in Halifax where he was excited to be part of the next generation of Canadian navy ships.

Shawn loved to play. He loved a good competition and a challenging opponent and was involved in sports his whole life starting with hockey and baseball as a child and continuing into his school and military years with football, broomball, softball, scuba diving, skiing, surfing, swimming, fly fishing and hunting, to name a few. But the best fun he ever had was always with our 4 children, whether it was with our youngest daughter watching their ‘special shows’ on Friday nights, taxiing our middle 2 back and forth to hockey and volleyball or play-wrestling with the 4 children and our 2 Labs – usually in the middle of the kitchen floor after supper!!

Shawn was a fair but tough and gentlemanly sportsman and was thrilled when our sons started playing hockey with The Halifax Hawks Minor Hockey Association in 2009. He served as a volunteer coach or assistant/trainer for every team our sons played for. Most recently he was Head Coach for the MMHL Midget team, The Halifax Tropics; a Board Member and the association’s Equipment Director. He loved hockey and made many friendships with other parents, but his main goal was always to make a difference by challenging his players to play smart and to be good sportsmen.

Shawn was a member of The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection and for many years was a driving force on their Property Maintenance Committee and he also served for many years on the Church Council.

You will be forever in our hearts, Shawn. You will live on in the hearts and minds of all who knew you, especially your children. Fair winds and following seas, my love. Rest easy, sailor, I have the watch. XOXO Nancy

Visitation will be held at Wednesday, January 3, 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm at JA Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax. The celebration of Shawn’s life will take place Thursday, January 4 at 1:00 pm at The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, corner of Windsor and Allen Streets in Halifax. In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing may make a donation in Shawn’s memory to the post-secondary education trust fund for our children held by The Canadian Scholarship Trust. Please visit www.cst.org or call 1-877-333-7377.