Shannon Louise Antoine

Dr. Shannon Louise Antoine passed away peacefully after a lengthy illness on July 3rd, 2016, in the company of her close family. She was 65 years old. Shannon is survived by her sisters Shelley Rose Antoine and Wendy Joan Antoine Ganser (Ronald Cyril Ganser, Sr.) and by her brothers Michael William Antoine (Arleen Amadeo Antoine) and Patrick Murray Antoine (Stacy Kay Antoine). She was the loving aunt of Nicholas Noel, Christopher William, and Rebecca Ann Ganser, Andrew Michael and Mallory Marie Antoine, and Skylr Lynn Antoine. She was preceded in death by her sister Mary Johanna Antoine, who died in infancy. She is also survived by numerous cousins. The eldest child of the late Anne Marie Estelle deMonsabert and the late Noel Wright Antoine, Shannon graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School and lived most of her life in New Orleans, before moving to Lacombe 19 years ago. She attended the University of New Orleans, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree, graduating cum laude with Honors in English, and a Master of Arts Degree, before continuing her education at LSU, where she earned a PhD, majoring in English with a minor in Linguistics. Shannon spent several years as an instructor in the English Department at LSU teaching English as a Second Language, before coming home to New Orleans and obtaining her teaching certificate and certification for teaching gifted and talented at Tulane and UNO. Shannon taught English at Carrollton Presbyterian School, Archbishop Blenk High School, and Our Lady of Holy Cross College, before joining the faculty of her own alma mater Benjamin Franklin High School in 1989. At Franklin, she taught for over 25 years in the English Department, serving as Department Chairperson, as well as moderating the yearbook and newspaper. After Katrina, Shannon joined the teachers and staff in bringing the school back. She enjoyed teaching creative writing and working closely with her students. She also served as Treasurer for Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education, under the guidance of Dr Rita Zerr of Tulane University, for many years. Shannon enjoyed both learning and teaching all her life, and especially enjoyed researching, writing, genealogy, history, and adventure traveling. She visited Europe seven times, seeking out distant cousins and the ancestral homes of her family, happiest tramping through cemeteries, old libraries, and nature preserves. She explored all 50 states and 31 countries, including such locales as Iceland, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Trinidad, Morocco, Guatemala, and Venezuela. While never published she drafted two novels and was always an avid reader. A member of the Northshore Bird club, Shannon served as past president and was editor of the club’s newsletter for many years, and enjoyed bird-watching opportunities in all her travels. Most of all she was happiest while teaching her “kids” and spending time with her large and loving family. Relatives and friends of the family and teachers, staff, and students – past and present – of Benjamin Franklin High School are invited to attend the funeral services at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans, Saturday, July 9, 2016 at 12:00 noon. Interment will be in the Metairie cemetery. Friends may visit on Friday evening, July 8, 2016 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., and after 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. To sign and view the family guestbook, please visit lakelawnmetairie.com