Obituary of Cynthia Marie Shanahan

Cynthia Marie “Cindy” (nee Carroll) Shanahan, age 46, passed away on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 in Joliet, IL surrounded by family and her closest friends.  She was born in Salem, IL on February 27, 1973 to Franklin “Frank” and Barbara “Barb” (nee Nolan) Carroll.   
 
Cindy attended Bismark-Henning School before graduating Suma Cum Laude (4.0/4.0) from Illinois State University with her Bachelor and Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology.  Cindy was an accomplished speech therapist and was passionate about speech.  She started her career in the small town of Grant Park, Illinois working with students as a speech therapist and eventually moved into the speech medical field at Palos Community Hospital.  She then worked for contract companies treating patients in skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, schools, and early intervention, most recently in LaGrange, Illinois.  Cindy will be remembered fondly of helping untold numbers of speech patients; from infancy to adults well into their 80’s.  Her home had shelves and shelves with bins of toys, gadgets, and devices to assist others with their speech.  Cindy married Martin (Marty) J. Shanahan, Jr. in 1999 and had one lovely daughter, Nina Laura. To advance her patients skills, Cindy learned basic sign language and taught their daughter Nina how to communicate via sign language before Nina could talk.         
 
Cindy is survived by her daughter, Nina Shanahan; parents, Frank and Barb Carroll; her sisters, Connie (Grant) Cunningham and Christine (Kevin) Owens; her brother, Keith (Lori) Carroll; and five nieces, Kayla Owens-Haug, Carissa and Alexa Owens and Isabella and Josie Carroll.  Cindy always wanted to help others and continued after her passing as she became an organ and tissue donor.  
 
A Celebration of Life for Cindy Shanahan will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2019, from 3:00 p.m. until time of a Memorial Service at 6:00 p.m., at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black at Essington Rds., Joliet, IL.  In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to Purple Project, a mission to assist by extending love and hope to people in need through grief counseling and retreats, www.purpleproject.org, 3195 Plainfield Road, Oswego, IL  60543.  For more information, please call 815-741-5500 or visit her Memorial Tribute at www.fredcdames.com