Shannon Kristain Eller

Shannon Eller passed away on October 2, 2023 after a second battle with cancer. She found death “incredibly inconvenient” but she was at peace with God’s plan and kept her trademark humor until the very end.

She is survived by her loving family, John & Sherry Rego, and nieces Madelyn Rego, Charlotte Rego, Georgia Rego, Lucy Scheffer and Victoria Scheffer. Of all the roles she played, she will miss being “Auntie Shannon” the most. Shannon is also survived by many, many coworkers, who became friends, and then became family, from her time working at the City of Jacksonville, the County of Volusia, and the Florida Department of Transportation.

Shannon received care and support above and beyond the call of duty from family and friends, John & Sherry Rego, Carrie Diller and the Diller Family, Bernadette Smith, Brenda and Terrell Ezell, Emily and Howell Horner, Mary and Mike Staffopoulos, Mary Swedo, Gaby Young and Jason Teal, MaryMargaret Giannini, Heather Solanka, Sandy and Steve Emery, Hannah Osborne, Mimi (Myra) Osborne, Ginger Franks, Doug Dolan, Sonya Daws, Richard Shine and the entire FDOT team. We ask you to say a prayer of thanks to these amazing people.

Shannon thought personal histories in obituaries were tedious, but nonetheless, she attended Barrion Collier High School in Naples, Florida after relocating from Houston, Texas. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida, where she joined the Alpha Delta Pi (WLFEO), and earned her law degree from the University of Florida. Shannon was very grateful for the professional and personal guidance she received over her career from Brian Teeple, Rick Mullaney, Tracey Arpen, Dan Eckert and the late Ernst (not Ernest) Mueller.

Shannon was proud of the work of the Land Use and Zoning Committee of the Jacksonville City Council where she served as legal advisor for many years. She appreciated the leadership, guidance and friendship of pas LUZ Committee Chairs and Members Alberta Hipps, Matt Carlucci, Art Shad, Sharon Copeland, Lynette Self, Art Graham. Matt Schellenberg, Michael Boylan, Ju’Coby Pittman, and Danny Becton. She also valued the agents and attorneys who practiced before the LUZ Committee who were some time adversaries, but always friends, Paul Harden, Steve Diebenow, Cyndy Trimmer, T.R. Hainline, Wyman Dugan, Mike Herzberg, Charlie Mann, Curtis Hart, Brenna Durden, Tom Ingram and many more. Shannon was thankful for all the staff at Jacksonville Planning and Development Department who let her play planner, and especially thankful for the leadership of Planning Directors Brad Thoburn, Bill Killingsworth, and the late Jeannie Fewell.

Shannon did not want a funeral service. Her ashes will be scattered in Mount Dora, Florida by her family. Like the true gangster Shannon was, we will play her out to “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa. She encourages you to celebrate her crazy life in your own way. She will look down on your gatherings with love and, as always, judgement of the décor. If you see an owl in your travels, that is Shannon checking in on you, or performing recon-we could never really be sure with her.

Shannon was lucky to meet recent friends and neighbors Nick Cuffy and Patrick Conley who cared for her like lifelong friends and introduced her to Avondale United Methodist Church. You can honor Shannon with donations to AUMC’s “Little Free Food Pantry”. We hear that the Vienna sausages, Chef Boyardee items, and beef sticks are popular, and coincidentally, also Shannon’s favorite food groups

Thank you to all who donated to Shannon’s hospice care gofundme.com/f/shannon-eller. All funds will be used for Shannon’s final expenses and then education expenses for Shannon’s nieces. We know Shannon is planning parties and collecting creepy elf Christmas ornaments up in Heaven, and watching over us, but we will forever miss her down here on Earth and look forward to hearing her funny stories when we meet again.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgriversidefuneralhome.com for the Eller family.