Shawna Marie Morrison
beloved AWOL, born 3 July 1978, k.i.a. 5 September 2004
Two Illinois National Guard soldiers were killed and 15 others were injured in a mortar attack on their Baghdad compound over the weekend, a military spokesman said Tuesday.
The Department of Defense did not immediately release the victims' names, but family members identified the dead as Sgt. Shawna Morrison of Paris and Spc. Charles Lamb of Martinsville. - Associated Press
Shawna was a genuinely good person---and those are hard to come by. She wanted only to be the best person she could be and to be good to others, and she worked so hard at whatever she did. She was energetic and lively, like a bouncing super-ball. She could kick your ass with a look and dress you down for saying something thoughtless, but she could also be brought to the verge of tears by a casual remark or a bad tip. She was that strange mix of awesomely powerful and heartbreakingly delicate.
Shawna was proud to serve her country, proud to protect the freedoms of even those of us who disagreed with her patriotism and commitment. There is no good reason for anyone to be killed like she was, but to take our AWOL!? It's simply unbearable.
We have raised our glasses a thousand times since we received the news of her death. And though we know now that her death is fact, it still seems as though she will saunter through the kitchen at any moment with a twinkle in her eye and flash that smile we all knew. All of us who knew her carry a piece of her spirit with us. We grieve along with the rest she has left behind.
News Gazette story 9/9/2004, Paris mourns a daughter
Photo Gallery:
four girlfriends
lovely and silly
with friends
with friend
with Bootcamp
mischievous
with friend
with Bootcamp
with friends from Radio Maria
with more friends from Radio Maria
in the forefront
more Radio Maria pals
dancing
with friend
with friends
Read or share stories and memories of Shawna in the AWOL Guestbook.
URBANA BOOKING CO. PRESENTS
A BENEFIT FOR THE SHAWNA MORRISON EDUCATION FUND
Live music by
THE BLACKOUTS, THE BEAUTY SHOP, HEADLIGHTS, NEW SENSE
Thursday, December 9th, 2004
The Highdive, 9:30PM
$5.00 cover
Show info from The Highdive's website: "It would be easy to call the Blackouts a garage band, but don't be fooled. The sound may be raw and unvarnished, but the Illinois quartet boasts real songwriting acumen well beyond the usual three-chord romps. Taking as much from the nervous energy of late 70s NYC and the postpunk melodies of the 80s underground as from the youthful buzz of the 60s, apocalyptic pop tunes like "I Have Found Mine," "The Games That Play Us" and the brilliantly titled "Pink Fuzz Blues" display a talented group of youngsters whose nerves are shot but whose hearts are wide open."
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