Cloreda Laverne Price "Crickett" Shannon

Cloreda Laverne Price "Crickett" Shannon passed away gently April 9, 2014, at Arbor House in Temple, Texas. She was born at home in Pickles Gap, Faulkner County, Ark., Feb. 8, 1932, the firstborn child of Roy Howard and Minnie Mae Reece Price. Her mother made up the name "Cloreda;" she acquired the nickname of "Crickett" during elementary school (from Dickens' Cricket on the Hearth). The name fit her well. While she was involved in student government throughout her schooling, her campaign slogan was "On your ticket, vote for Crickett." Though she was raised on the family farm, she really put her heart into her schoolwork, going home each summer with an armload of books from the school library. She spent an entire summer reading the complete works of Charles Dickens. She retained her ‘only child' status until she was nine years old, when her sister, Sylvia Christine ("Chris") was born. She used to pull Chris in a red wagon on the long trek to the mailbox at the main road. She was a gifted student and graduated as the Valedictorian of her Vilonia High School class. Crickett attended college at the nearby Arkansas State Teachers College, the first person in her family to pursue a college degree. She was involved in a wide range of campus activities, including student government, choir, and the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. She was President of her sorority, the first female president of the Senior Class, and a member of all organizations on campus, minus the Square Dancers. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major in English and History. She married Robert Fudge Shannon on July 4, 1953. He had just been accepted to the University of Arkansas Medical School in Little Rock, so that is where the young couple made their home. Crickett taught English at Pulaski Heights Junior High, and then at the newly re-opened Central High. Their daughter, Shawn was born in 1955, followed by son, Scott in 1963. When asked about what she would do differently if she could do her life over again, she said she would have had two or three more children; she believes she had "good kids." Even as a young mother with a full time job and a husband in medical school, she continued to study. She earned her Masters in English from the University of Arkansas in 1958. She ‘retired' from teaching when the young family moved for a couple of years to Fort Bragg, N.C., for Dr. Shannon to serve in the Army. Both there and when they returned to Little Rock, she was significantly involved in civic and social service. She was instrumental in setting up a library and was a long-term president of the Panhellenic Council of Little Rock. She continued to be an educator outside of the classroom, frequently designing educational experiences for her two children and arranging for them to have amazing opportunities to learn. She hosted many "bunkin'" parties and cared for the stray cats and dogs that found their way to the house on Shamrock. Over the years, she ‘adopted' several older adults, caring for them in practical ways. Her favorite pastimes were gift-giving, reading, eating, sleeping, and working with the Stock Market. She nurtured in her children a love for reading and a familiarity with libraries. Her favorite author was John Steinbeck. Her favorite holiday was Christmas (she is a famous gift-giver!). She was the favorite human of many cats. Her life motto was "Live and let live." Her favorite place to travel was the Ozarks. She was a Baptist whose favorite Bible passage was Psalm 23 and hymn was "Rock of Ages." When she was a child, she would sit on the piano bench and turn pages for her mother while she played hymns at church. She has enjoyed her affiliation with Pulaski Heights Baptist Church and Living Way Four Square Gospel Church, both in Little Rock. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister; former husband; and son. She is treasured and missed by her daughter, Shawn Shannon of Belton, Texas; niece, Brenda Hollis of Atlanta, Ga.; multiple Price cousins in the Conway/Vilonia area of Arkansas; the staff of Arbor House of Temple; and many dear friends. She is remembered for her wit, intelligence, and loyal friendship. If you would like to honor her in a special way, donate a book to your local library in her memory, make a contribution to Heifer Project International (1 World Avenue, Little Rock, Ark., 72202), or give to Alzheimer's research through the Alzheimer's Association (Alzheimer's Association Capitol of Texas Chapter, 512-241-0420, 3520 Executive Center Drive #140, Austin, Texas 78731). Special memories of Crickett can be shared with Dr. Shawn Shannon, 217 West 7th Avenue, Belton, Texas 76513.