Obituary for Kelly Shannon Carlson
Heaven received Julia Kelly Shannon Carlson on March 29, 2017. The wife of loving and devoted husband and caregiver Paul Carlson, Satellite Beach, FL, Kelly blessed the world by being born on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1962, in Memphis, TN. Her parents, James (Jim) R. Shannon, Jr. and Marjorie (Margie) Stevens Shannon of Cordova, TN, cherished her as a newborn and throughout her life as did her sister, Cindy Shannon Harris (Terry and son, Jacob) of Hendersonville, TN. She was a mother, advocate, encourager, and rock to her four children, Lauren Gooch of Seattle, WA, Wyatt Gooch of Satellite Beach, FL, Audrey Gooch of Satellite Beach, FL, and Elizabeth Carlson of Meridian, MS, who will dearly miss her love and daily counsel.
Kelly professed her faith in Jesus as her Lord and Savior and was baptized at Colonial Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN, on May 25, 1975. She also attended First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, McKenzie, TN; First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN; Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Germantown, TN, and Satellite Beach United Methodist Church, Satellite Beach, FL. She graduated as valedictorian of the 1981 McKenzie High School senior class in McKenzie, TN, graduated cum laude in three years (1984) from Murray State University, Murray, KY, where she attended on a full Presidential Scholarship, and received a juris doctor degree from the University of Memphis School of Law. A journalism major in college, Kelly worked as a reporter, photographer, and editor for the Paris Post-Intelligencer, Paris, TN, and reporter for the Jackson Sun, Jackson, TN, before holding a position as manager with the Tennessee Department of Employment Security in Huntingdon, TN. After completing law school, Kelly worked with several Memphis law firms in the area of labor and employment law and was employed as managing director of legal matters/general counsel for Youth Villages, Bartlett, TN, since 2013. She had previously worked with Youth Villages as outside counsel for 18 years. She was recommended by Chambers USA and Best of the U.S. for labor and employment law. Additionally, Kelly was listed as one of the top labor and employment attorneys in Memphis by HR Magazine and as one of America's Leading Lawyers for Business by the Memphis Business Journal. She held a Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating of AV-Preeminent for more than 15 years, with recognition in both the labor and employment and litigation areas. She was a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and the Memphis Bar Association; served as chair, vice chair, and treasurer of the Employment and Labor Section of the Memphis Bar Association; was admitted to practice before the U. S. Supreme Court and served on the Tennessee Bar Association Corporate Counsel Section's executive committee.
Although small in stature and soft spoken, Kelly was tenacious and determined in everything she undertook. With a vocabulary of 50 words at 1 year of age, she certainly chose a great career path through journalism and law. She lived life fully each day, whether it was 70 hours a week as an attorney or enjoying vacation time with her family, kayaking, parasailing, snorkeling or deep sea diving, raising puppies and kittens, enjoying the manatees and dolphins in her canal, creating art work, designing and decorating her home, or simply engaging in activities with her children and husband. She loved living in Florida the past four years, where the sun energized her, while working from home and traveling across the country for cases.
Kelly was predeceased by her grandparents, James Rogan and Audrey Dacus Shannon and Estol W. and Marjorie Strickland Stevens, all of Memphis, TN. She also leaves a host of loving aunts, uncles, nephews, and cousins.
A funeral service will be held at the Satellite Beach United Methodist Church, Satellite Beach, FL, on April 3, 2017, at 4:00 p.m. preceded by visitation at 3:00 p.m. at the church, with Beach Funeral Home, Satellite Beach, FL, in charge, followed by burial on Thursday, April 6, 2017, in Pensacola, FL, at the Barrancas National Cemetery. In addition, there will be a memorial service at Memphis Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens, Bartlett, TN, on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. preceded by visitation beginning at 3:00 p.m. with Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, Bartlett, TN, in charge.
The family requests that memorials be sent to Youth Villages, the American Cancer Society, or your local Humane Society.
Kelly professed her faith in Jesus as her Lord and Savior and was baptized at Colonial Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN, on May 25, 1975. She also attended First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, McKenzie, TN; First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN; Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Germantown, TN, and Satellite Beach United Methodist Church, Satellite Beach, FL. She graduated as valedictorian of the 1981 McKenzie High School senior class in McKenzie, TN, graduated cum laude in three years (1984) from Murray State University, Murray, KY, where she attended on a full Presidential Scholarship, and received a juris doctor degree from the University of Memphis School of Law. A journalism major in college, Kelly worked as a reporter, photographer, and editor for the Paris Post-Intelligencer, Paris, TN, and reporter for the Jackson Sun, Jackson, TN, before holding a position as manager with the Tennessee Department of Employment Security in Huntingdon, TN. After completing law school, Kelly worked with several Memphis law firms in the area of labor and employment law and was employed as managing director of legal matters/general counsel for Youth Villages, Bartlett, TN, since 2013. She had previously worked with Youth Villages as outside counsel for 18 years. She was recommended by Chambers USA and Best of the U.S. for labor and employment law. Additionally, Kelly was listed as one of the top labor and employment attorneys in Memphis by HR Magazine and as one of America's Leading Lawyers for Business by the Memphis Business Journal. She held a Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating of AV-Preeminent for more than 15 years, with recognition in both the labor and employment and litigation areas. She was a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and the Memphis Bar Association; served as chair, vice chair, and treasurer of the Employment and Labor Section of the Memphis Bar Association; was admitted to practice before the U. S. Supreme Court and served on the Tennessee Bar Association Corporate Counsel Section's executive committee.
Although small in stature and soft spoken, Kelly was tenacious and determined in everything she undertook. With a vocabulary of 50 words at 1 year of age, she certainly chose a great career path through journalism and law. She lived life fully each day, whether it was 70 hours a week as an attorney or enjoying vacation time with her family, kayaking, parasailing, snorkeling or deep sea diving, raising puppies and kittens, enjoying the manatees and dolphins in her canal, creating art work, designing and decorating her home, or simply engaging in activities with her children and husband. She loved living in Florida the past four years, where the sun energized her, while working from home and traveling across the country for cases.
Kelly was predeceased by her grandparents, James Rogan and Audrey Dacus Shannon and Estol W. and Marjorie Strickland Stevens, all of Memphis, TN. She also leaves a host of loving aunts, uncles, nephews, and cousins.
A funeral service will be held at the Satellite Beach United Methodist Church, Satellite Beach, FL, on April 3, 2017, at 4:00 p.m. preceded by visitation at 3:00 p.m. at the church, with Beach Funeral Home, Satellite Beach, FL, in charge, followed by burial on Thursday, April 6, 2017, in Pensacola, FL, at the Barrancas National Cemetery. In addition, there will be a memorial service at Memphis Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens, Bartlett, TN, on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. preceded by visitation beginning at 3:00 p.m. with Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, Bartlett, TN, in charge.
The family requests that memorials be sent to Youth Villages, the American Cancer Society, or your local Humane Society.
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