Shannon JM Emerson-Shupe died on Wednesday, October 1st, 2014 with both her parents by her side in Moscow, Idaho.

Shannon Jolene McMillan-Emerson Shupe was born to Verne and Willena Emerson on April 8, 1966 in Everett Washington. She and her family moved to Albion, Washington in 1969 for her dad to complete his master's degree at WSU. Shannon graduated in 1984 from Pullman High school. She then went on to attend Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho. Shannon returned to Pullman to complete her Bachelors in Speech and Hearing Sciences. During her time at WSU, she was fortunate enough to study abroad in the South of France for a semester indulging in her love of travel and adventure. Shannon moved to Ellensburg in 1990 and was employed as the head baker at the Copper Kettle, living with her cousin Teresa; she remained in Ellensburg until her grandmother's death in 1993. Returning to Pullman in order to continue her education, she received her Masters in Teaching. Shannon moved to the Seattle area and taught elementary aged students at Mencham Mendel school of Seattle.

Shannon was active in the International Church of Christ in Seattle, Washington where she made many wonderful sisters and brothers in Christ. Shannon met Ashley Shupe in August 2008 on a blind date after church one Sunday. While on a date at the Palisades Restaurant in Seattle, Shannon asked Ash when he was going to get around to asking her to marry him. Ash made her wait until the end of their dinner before asking for her hand in marriage. Ash was deployed the following day to Baghdad. While still in Baghdad, Shannon and Ash were married over Skype, with Shannon and Verne traveling to Denver, Colorado and Verne standing in for Ash. When Ash returned from Baghdad in June of 2009, Shannon and Ash made their home in Dupont, Washington for a brief time until they renewed their vows in Seattle on June 26, 2009. Shannon and Ash left the following day to San Antonio, Texas in order for Ash to attend education classes until September of that same year. They returned to Dupont, Washington where they lived until December 2010 when they moved to Landstuhl, Germany. During their time in Germany, Shannon and Ash traveled as often as they could, taking day and weekend trips and sight-seeing in London, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Holland, Netherlands, France, Romany, and Czech Republic, to name a few. Shannon loved collecting Starbucks mugs from every town or city she came to. She also enjoyed purchasing knick-knacks as reminders of their many travels. Ashley and Shannon returned to the states in December of 2013 and made their home back in Dupont, Washington.

Shannon was an avid shopper and never found a bargain she couldn't live without. She loved surprising friends and family with gifts she found while out on one of her many shopping excursions. Shannon loved life and was a person who craved tradition and her greatest drive was to make memories. Everything deserved a little garnish, a small snack to sweeten the occasion, a bit of decoration to create a memory; all moments of life were an opportunity to build a history. Shannon loved to sing and was even known as the self- declared song leader while on family car outings; Shannon wrote the soundtrack.

Shannon is survived by her husband, Ashley Shupe of Dupont, Washington, her parents, Verne and Willena Emerson of Albion, Washington her brother Shawn, of Seattle Washington, sister Stephanie Emerson of Moscow, Idaho, Sarah Emerson of Albion, Washington, and Shae Emerson-Whelchel of Vancouver, Washington. She is also survived by her nieces, Jacquelynn Emerson and Acacia Villanueva, both of Portland, Oregon, Kaylie Emerson of Moscow, Idaho, and nephews Francisco Villanueva of Seattle, Washington, and Rowan Whelchel of Vancouver, Washington and multiple aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The family will be sharing Shannon's life and travels with all those who knew and loved her on Saturday October 11, 2014 at the "Red Barn Farms" in Colton Washington at 12:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Shannon's name to the ALS Organization at http://www.alsa.org Kimball Funeral Home & Crematory of Pullman has been entrusted with arrangements.