MILLVILLE — Former Mayor Tim Shannon, who spent a dozen years on the City Commission, died on Sunday at age 66.
A robust, athletic figure throughout his life, Shannon had been in recent ill health. Friends remembered his good humor and good deeds, two trademarks that preceded his public life and continued after it.
The “commissioner of fun” is how many always will remember Shannon, his own take on his assignment to oversee recreation programs. And the relaxed, let’s enjoy life attitude already was familiar to anyone who knew the 1975 Millville Senior High School graduate.
“I was telling his sister and a couple others most people, when they think of Tim, would just start to laugh or chuckle because he was always the biggest personality in the room,” said Kim Ayres, the city planning director for many years. “But I want to make sure people understand what a very, very, good mayor he was for this town.
Former Mayor James Quinn served multiple terms with Shannon, preceding him as mayor. The relationship also existed outside City Hall, with Shannon working as a football color commentator on Quinn’s local television station.
“He was always great to deal with,” Quinn said. “And I think everyone loved his sense of humor. He just had such a great laugh and a great happiness about him. He loved helping the kids.”
Shannon did not enter local politics until the 2001 election cycle. Then age 44, Shannon was funeral director at his family’s Rocap Shannon Memorial Funeral Home. In the May 2009 election, Shannon was the top vote-getter and, by tradition, was nominated by the other commissioners to be mayor.
While still a private citizen, Shannon was instrumental in the volunteer drive to construct a facility for the Thunderbolt Club at 706 N. 8th St.
“He worked like crazy to get volunteers,” Quinn said. “In fact, he told me one day they had so many volunteers, when they were pouring the concrete for the flowing, that he had to send people away. But I think a lot of that was because of Tim and his personality. He was very charismatic. You couldn’t help but like Tim.”
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One unusual place Shannon threw his support as mayor was establishing a feral cat trapping and neutering program. It was a relatively novel, and hotly debated, idea in 2012.
Shannon and his wife Leslie already were working with a large cat colony at their home at the time. He spoke of the practice as being compassionate as well as effective.
“Unfortunately, if we wait for responsible pet ownership, the problem could double,” he said before the vote to authorize a program.
Shannon also was a steadfast supporter of downtown revitalization, both the Glasstown Arts District concept and the restoration of the Levoy Theatre on High Street.
“He gave his whole heart to the Levoy Theatre, whether he was in office or not he supported them,” Kim Ayres said. “And I mean, he actually supported things by buying tickets. You know what I mean? Not just saying it. He supported the art district by buying art from most of the local artists and putting it in the funeral home, putting it in his house. It was true support.”
When the theater collapsed during reconstruction, she said, Shannon quietly aided people displaced from their apartments in a neighboring building.
“He bought them all pajamas and underwear, socks, and necessities that they would need,” she said. “Not as mayor, just a guy trying to help somebody.”
His 12-year run on the City Commission came to a close in 2013, as Shannon decided not to seek another term.
In his last months in office, Shannon spoke of his time at City Hall during a Greater Millville Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
“I’m humbled, privileged and it has been my honor to serve as the mayor,” Shannon said. “One of the things that came very naturally in my upbringing was there was no question that you gave back to your community to make it better.
Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey more than 30 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.
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