Mignon L. (Cantlin) Shanahan, 89, of Westminster, Colo., formerly of Blair, died Dec. 1, 2013, in Westminster.

A funeral mass was Jan. 4 at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Arvada, Colo.

Mignon Louise Cantlin was born April 27, 1924, in Stromsburg.

She was the beloved wife for 68 years of Howard D. Shanahan until his death in 2010.

She was an only child who embraced her Catholic faith and her large family of eight children. She loved gathering her family around the table for holidays, which were always festive with plenty of food, card games and laughs.

She had a quick wit and hearty laugh and instilled a sense of fun and resilience in her children.

She taught all of her children and many of their friends how to water ski, jumping in the water behind Mr. Shanahan's boat, first on the Missouri River in Blair, and then the Cedar River in Waterloo, Iowa, and at their summer home on Lake Tetonka in southern Minnesota.

Their sense of adventure inspired many family camping trips in the United States. In retirement, the couple traveled the world.

The couple retired to Naples, Fla., where they continued to enjoy boating in the Gulf inland waterways for more than 25 years. They were active in the community, including the Naples Cruise Club, organizing many parties with dancing, costumes and picnics.

They were devoted members of their church parish in every community they lived.

She was a member of the women's P.E.O., which provided scholarships for young women in Waterloo. She volunteered at their Naples parish thrift store.

After Mr. Shanahan's death, she moved to Westminster to live near daughters Kerry and Annie and their families. Her family loved to visit wherever she made her home.

She is survived by her children: Kathleen, Margaret, John, Kerry, Mary, Patricia and Ann; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard; and daughter Cynthia in 1991.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~