PORTLAND – Barbara L. (Mathews) Shannon’s magnificent life came to a close with family at her side, as the sun was setting on June 17, 2021.

Born in Portland on Oct. 9, 1926 to Ervin and Edna Mathews, Barb soon moved with her parents to Campobello, New Brunswick Canada. Barb would tell stories of island life that included watching whales with her grandfather, playing with cousins and friends and beginning school in Canada. In the fourth grade the family moved to Eastport. On that day a boy in her class went home and told his mother that “a girl moved to town from Campobello and I’m going to marry her”. True to his word Barb and Kenneth J. Shannon were wed in Eastport on Oct. 1, 1945.

Barb spent her younger years in Eastport and graduated Shead Memorial High School in 1944. Barb trained and served as an airplane spotter during WWII, worked canning sardines and later at the “old Newberry’s store” in Eastport. Barb and Ken (he tended to call her Lucy) had twi children, Patricia and Michael, before moving to Portland in 1953.

In 1958 the family moved to Beverly, Massachusetts. Barb worked in banking at the Beverly Trust Company ultimately becoming the head of the mortgage department.

She became very active in the Order of the Eastern Star, holding several positions, rising to become Worthy Matron (with Ken as Worthy Patron), and later held state offices.

From 1975 to 1980, Ken and Barb lived in St. Louis. It was there where annual vacations to Hawaii began. Barb and husband Ken moved back to Portland in 1980 and spent many fond years traveling around in their motorhome. Barb’s beloved husband Ken died on Oct. 28, 1989. In time, she continued her motorhome adventures, ocean cruising, and traveling to Hawaii.

In 1992 Barb met Martin “Marty” H. Lyden at a dance and the two shared a wonderful and loving companionship for 20 years dancing, traveling in the motorhome and going on cruises until Marty passed on April 3, 2012.

In 2015 Barb moved from her home in Portland to live with her son, Mike and his wife Kathleen in Old Orchard Beach where she met many new friends and became known as The Queen of School Street.

Barb is survived by her children Patricia (Shannon) LaPierre and husband Winston, son, Michael D. Shannon and wife Kathleen; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; cousins, nieces and nephews; and numerous friends.

Barb is predeceased by an infant sister, Leona; parents Ervin and Edna (Knowles) Mathews; husband, Kenneth J. Shannon; and companion, Martin H. Lyden.

Friends and relatives are invited to attend her funeral at 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 29 at Jones, Rich and Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St., Portland. The service will be livestreamed. To access the link for livestreaming and to view Barb’s online guestbook please visit http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com.

Interment will take place at later date at the Veteran’s Cemetery in Augusta.

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