Shane Michael Armour

On the evening of Saturday, October 31, Shane Michael Armour, passed away at his home surrounded by his parents, siblings and extended family.

Shane was born in Wichita, KS, on May 18, 1974, a birthday he was honored to share with Pope John Paul II. He was the oldest of ten children born to Jim and Connie Armour of Clonmel, KS. He attended St. Peter’s Catholic School, Bishop Carroll High School and then Clearwater High School.

From a young age, Shane exhibited a determined work ethic, an adventurous spirit and a knack for all things mechanical. At twelve years old, he went to work at the neighbor’s dairy farm, getting up at 5am to milk cows. He acquired his first ATV soon after, and countless hours of his teenage years were spent in the shop rebuilding classic cars. Friends and family could always count on him to install a stereo system, fix an engine, do a paint job, or any other favor asked.

On the night of October 23, 1993, he was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from mid-chest down (below the T4 vertebrae). From the beginning, his strong will to recover and his ability to charm his caregivers and visitors became evident.

He did a lot in his first ten years as a paraplegic: snow-skiing on a mono-ski in Colorado, playing wheelchair hockey including a benefit game against the Wichita Thunder, competing in wheelchair races at River Fest, and riding his jet ski on Cheney Lake.

He gained employment at Bank of America and was soon able to purchase his own house, outfitting it with a ramp and devising contraptions to navigate everyday life from a wheelchair.

After ten years of odds-defying independence, a series of medical setbacks left him in chronic pain and made it necessary for him to move back home in the care of his parents.

Even in his more restricted mobility, he continued to be a source of joy for others over the next 23 years. He had a ready stash of candy and toys for the nieces and nephews, and a favorite TV program for all his visitors. He found in every trial a positive light, expressed gratitude for every act of service, and offered a smile and encouragement to every person he encountered.

The family wishes to thank his four faithful visitors, his care-givers over the years, and especially Dianna who helped care for him the last eight years.

He is survived by his parents Jim and Connie Armour of Clearwater; his siblings, Jason (Michelle) Armour of Ft. Worth, TX; Ruth Armour of Garland, TX; Sr. John Thomas (Rachel) Armour, O.P., Nashville, TN; Angie (Joel) Parks of Wichita;Michael (Jessica) Armour of Viola; John (Laura) Armour of Wichita; Catherine (Patrick) Schmitz of Viola; Alan (Clair) Armour of Olathe; James J. (Natalie) Armour of Overland Park, KS; and 27 nieces and nephews.

Rosary will be held Tuesday, November 3, at 6:30pm and Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, November 4, at 10:30am BOTH at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 18630 W 71st St S, Viola, KS.

In lieu of flowers, Memorials: St. John’s Building Fund, 18630 W 71st St S, Viola, KS 67026.