Vivian Abigail Shaw's Obituary
Vivian Abigail Shaw, daughter of Jodi Evonne (Schumaker) and Douglas Edward Shaw was born August 2, 2002 and taken to her eternal life to be greeted by the loving arms of Jesus at 9:52 pm Wednesday, November 7, 2018 in Hilton Head Island, SC. Abbi was surrounded by her family and immense love when she left this earth.She battled many times to live during her sixteen years and endured so much more than any child should. Abbi was a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for her entire life. Her courage and strength cannot be described as she faced cancer at 5 months old and again at 15 years old, a heart transplant, and multiple complications from the numerous treatments.As Abbi’s family, we wanted to write an obituary that described how extraordinary and amazing this beautiful young lady was; that is not possible. You had to truly know her to take it all in. If you did not get the opportunity to know Abbi, then I’m so sorry for what you missed. Her soul was kind. Every part of her being was gentle. She had a love for life, music, and adventure. Abbi spent many hours cuddled with her mom during her long treatments watching Ellen, Gordon Ramsey, and videos of precious puppies. She was inspired by their kindness and ability to create smiles during the toughest of times. Abbi began planning their further trips to see the world and get her very own French Bulldog. She wanted to do good things in order to help others and tell her unique story once we figured it all out, but sadly science had not yet arrived at the solutions she needed.Abbi continues to give back to this broken world through her last gesture of love for others, the ultimate gift of donating her body to science for research in hopes of finding ways to defeat this vicious cancer that she fought so fiercely. No medical research was available to help Abbi due to the rareness of this disease so she had to be the experiment. We pray that the scientist at St. Jude will be able to get answers before it strikes again and another family is forced to face this monster.Abbi leaves behind to cherish her memory her loving parents, brother Madison “Sonny” Reagan Shaw (Olney IL), sisters Julia Eden Shaw and Eva Grace Shaw (Nashville TN), half sisters Madelynn Frazier (Memphis TN), Meagan Waltz (Osman) (Fort Myers FL) maternal grandparents Carolyn Schumaker (Foster) and Doc Drake (Olney IL), paternal grandfather Harry Russel Shaw (Southaven MS), maternal great grandmother Vivian Lorraine Foster (Hammond)(Dundas IL), maternal aunts Stormy Schumaker (Andrea) (Indianapolis IN), Jeanne Johnston (Cuba MO ), maternal uncles Adam Schumaker (Diann)(Hohenwald TN), Isaac Capps (Sayeh) (Satellite Beach FL), paternal uncles Butch Shaw (Southaven MS), Howard Shaw (Southaven MS), Bob (Cheryl) Shaw (Southaven MS), and her large crew of loving cousins, great aunts, uncles, and her devoted dog, Chip.Abbi was greeted in Heaven by her paternal grandmother Hulda Lee Shaw (Hawkins), maternal grandfather Clifford Jean Capps aka Frank Edward Schumaker, maternal great grandfather Hartley Leander Foster, paternal aunt Mitzi Lee Mitchell (Shaw), maternal aunt Debra Demetroff as well as cousins, St. Jude friends, Danny Thomas, and possibly her own heart donor.Family and friends are invited to join the Celebration of Life Services to honor the gift of Vivian Abigail. They will be held on Tuesday November 20th, 6:00pm at Southaven First United Methodist Church, Nesbit MS and Saturday November 24th, 11am at Richland County High School auditorium , Olney IL.Abbi will be missed each and every day for the rest of our lives. We hope her difficult journey will encourage you to love your children and one another more deeply, and not take your life, health, and time here for granted.Memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Patient 19529) as they continue to search for answers and cures for Abbi’s friends, and for those about to be thrown into the world of pediatric cancer from which no family is exempt.On behalf of our entire family, we want to thank the numerous people who cared for our darling daughter for so many years at St. Jude and LeBonheur Children’s Hospitals. We are forever grateful for the prayers and support from all of our families, friends, communities, and church families. Our beautiful warrior is free of pain and able to smile and dance again and for that we are thankful. Proverbs 3:5.
What’s your fondest memory of Vivian?
What’s a lesson you learned from Vivian?
Share a story where Vivian's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Vivian you’ll never forget.
How did Vivian make you smile?