Betty Jean Brouse Shannon, 87, of Atlanta, Ga., and formerly of Vero Beach, passed away on April 10, 2016 from complications of an extended illness.
She is survived by her daughter Sharon (Bob) Polensek and grandsons Jonathan and Benjamin Hartman.
Shannon was born in Benton, Ark., on July 22, 1928, but spent the majority of her childhood in Union City, Tenn., where she graduated from Union City High School in 1946. She moved from Tennessee to Florida and lived in Vero Beach for more than 40 years until 2010 when she moved to Atlanta to be near family.
She had a long career as a devoted science educator of students ranging from middle schoolers to college undergraduates. She taught biology and served as the Chairman of the Science Department at Indian River State College between 1968 and 1978, (then Indian River Community College) and spent the last 10 years of her career at Vero Beach High School until retiring in 1992.
Shannon received her Bachelor’s Degree from Memphis State University in 1950 and while there served as Secretary/Treasurer of the national honorary science organization, Chi Beta Phi. She was a charter member of the Beta Xi chapter of the Sigma Kappa sorority at Memphis State serving as Vice-President her senior year. She went on to receive her Masters Degree in Biology in 1968 at Memphis State University, followed by earning her Specialist’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Biology in 1978 at the Florida Atlantic University.
She was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa honorary organization of women educators, the Retired Educators Association and the Philanthropic Educational Organization in Vero Beach. Always a lover of music, she played the piano and previously sang in the Vero Beach Choral Society, Treasure Coast Chorale, and choir at the Community Church. She was also an accomplished seamstress who thoroughly enjoyed making beautiful garments for by hand for herself and others.
A private memorial service will be held in Atlanta, Ga., on April 15, 2016. Memorial contributions may be given to the Indian River State College Foundation towards a student scholarship in Betty’s name either by contacting the IRSC Foundation, 3209 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, FL by mail or online at www.irscfoundation.org.
