Shane Delion Wilson's Obituary
Our good friend, and great New Orleans musician and singer Shane D. Wilson, aged 62, passed away at 4:25am on Saturday, August 6th, 2022 at the Kobacker House in Columbus, Ohio. He was born in Waterbury, CT on December 31, 1959 to parents Henry and Eleanor Myers.
Shane's life was the stuff books or movies are made of -- so challenging and diverse, having lived in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Atlanta, Alabama, and Columbus. Always talented in music, he headlined jazz festivals around the country and fronted a jazz band in New Orleans. His favorite memory of the era was when the venue he played in was a castle. Shane loved to travel and was often reminiscing about his explorations and adventures. He dreamed of driving the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Smokies listening to music and having the wind blow thru his hair.
In prior years, Shane was in IT as a programmer/analyst and consultant, eventually owning a multi-million dollar IT consulting firm of his own which primarily served Fortune 100 companies. He passed up the chance to "cash in big" in order to keep promises and protect his employees, but that decision cost him dearly.
Shane was also very hands on in his other forays, including in the trucking business for a short time. He was a front-runner in the fight for LGBTQI+ rights and issues of the day --long before anyone thought to ask about pronouns.
After Hurricane Katrina wiped out both Shane's jazz career and everything he owned, he started a new life in Columbus, Ohio. He originally thought he'd only stay a few years, until New Orleans was rebuilt, but life and love changed all that. He left a permanent mark on the jazz scene in Columbus and was a mentor to many aspiring musicians.
Shane was preceded in death by the love of his life, Sharlyn "Sherry" Wilson, affectionately known as "SherBear", and his parents. He is survived by his chihuahua, Jazzy, and tribe of good friends and musicians, who will miss him, and his daily Facebook musings, dearly.
In true New Orleans style, a Celebration of Life will be held starting at 4pm on Saturday August 27, 2022 at the Gahanna Community Congregational Church, 470 Havens Corners Rd, Gahanna, OH 43230. As Shane loved sharing foods and our culinary talents, please bring a side dish and a dozen or more of your favorite cookies to share. The main entree will be provided.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to D.A.S.H - Danielle's Animal Safe Haven 13525 Hoover Rd, Ashville, OH 43103.
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