The University of Alberta banner is flying at half-mast from February 17–22, 2022 in remembrance of Ms. Shawna Kathleen Biamonte, Undergraduate Student in the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science.
Shawna Kathleen Biamonte passed away from us on Sunday January 30, 2022, surrounded by the love of her mother Margaret, sister Christina, and Chris, her lover, soulmate and husband.
Born in 1975, Shawna was Margaret’s first child. She grew up in Edmonton, which was always home to her, no matter where she lived or travelled. As a child she was always smiling and easy going, with an occasional stubborn streak. [The day she ran away from her mom at Sears and was found calmly watching TV was an early sign of her independent nature.]
Margaret, Christina, Chris, and Shawna road-tripped all-over Western Canada and the US together, visiting family in the Okanagan and Vancouver Island, and bringing home delicious fresh fruit and wine.
Shawna had many passions, including cooking, wine, learning, music, travel, art, fashion, and architecture. She lived those passions in her work and volunteering, becoming a radio DJ at CJSR with her own show ‘Magpie Music’; acting as a Canadian Folk Music Awards juror; new music reviewer for ‘Penguin Eggs” magazine; and volunteering at the Calgary Folk Music Festival.
She and Chris loved to travel together, with New York and London becoming two of their favourite destinations. At home they hiked, climbed, did yoga, enjoyed time with family and friends and made delicious vegetarian food together.
Shawna studied Geology at the U of A for three years, before finding her career path as a Registered Massage Therapist, which she practiced for 18 years in Edmonton and Calgary. In 2016 she returned to academic learning at University of Alberta to pursue a degree in Chemistry with a minor in Biology. Her tenacity led to achieving the distinctions of the honour society and the Dean’s list.
She was a voracious reader and lover of the Edmonton Public Library. She had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and this informed her attitude to her cancer diagnosis in 2012. She met this challenge with all her wits, and a pragmatic, optimistic outlook.
Shawna’s cheerful, infectious laugh, her intense interest in those she loved, her love of company while sharing good food and wine, and her incisive wit all made for memorable gatherings and adventures with friends and family.
Her family and friends will miss her forever.
Donations in Shawna’s memory may be made to Wellspring Cancer Support (wellspring.ca) or to Canadian Blood Services (blood.ca).
Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family by visiting westlockfuneralhome.com.
The original obituary can be found here.
For information about lowering the University of Alberta banner, visit the In Memoriam webpage.