Shannon Elizabeth Wingerter was born on March 27,1983 at Womack Army Hospital on Fort Bragg, North Carolina to my Wife Carolyn Rose (Owens) Wingerter and me, Shannon's Father, Paul David Wingerter. Shannon was born a few minutes after 2100 Hours/ 9 pm on a wet, rainy Sunday night. Her mother was in labor for many hours prior to Shannon's birth. I was there for her delivery as I was for my other three beautiful kids. When Shannon was born she was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen, of course being her father I felt she was. She was baldheaded with the blond hair that would eventually grow out. She had the prettiest blue eyes and remember her making the word "goo'. She smiled and lit up the room. She weighed 7 pounds ten ounces and was twenty inches in length. I cried like a baby while holding her the first time. She started to sprout and grow and actually became a little butterball. I was in the Army then and could not wait to get home daily or after some deployment to be with my Wife and beautiful daughter. One of my names for her was " Monkey Girl" because she looked like a monkey to me. She would laugh when I called her that. Then we called her " Shannie " for the rest of her life. The first time Shannon passed gas at her young age and did not understand what it meant she burst into tears. Her mother and I busted out laughing but then picked her up and hugged her. We spoiled her awful ! As babies do they grow up very fast. She was the oldest of four kids that we had. Her brother Jeremy followed in 1985, Megan in 1987 and Andrew in 1989! In 1991 I left the Army after twelve years active duty and transferred to the Reserves. We came back to NC where my wife and two daughters were born. All four of our kids did well in school and al were motivated to learn and do well. Shannon was coming into her own, played in her Middle School Band, many friends and well liked, beautiful in appearance and in heart and soul. She loved school ! She was a happy positive kid, who wanted to Teach school one day in Australia. Well that all ended on July 5,1996. I had been in our bathroom brushing my teeth when Shannon came in and gave me a kiss and said I LOVE YOU DADDY ! I told her I LOVED HER TOO ! She was going across the Highway to visit a girlfriend. We had planned on doing something later in the day after taking her mother to work. Well about five minutes later my oldest Son Jeremy runs into our home and says " Daddy something has happened on the road ! We all ran up there and Shannon had been hit by a pick up truck . She was life flighted to Chapel Hill Children's Hospital where she died at 1700 hours/ 5 pm. We had her funeral in Lumberton, NC Where her mother grew up. On 9 July 1996 there was a large turnout at the Funeral Home. Her Middle School Band came and performed! She was buried in the Hill Family Cemetery in Fairmont, NC resting next to her mother's kin who have resided there for almost 150 years. I visit the Cemetery every few months to keep it clean, cut the grass and pick up debris. Shortly after her passing we planted an Azalea bush that was small at the time is now massive after twenty six years. Since her passing she has been joined in death by her mother and youngest brother. I miss them all very much and love them with all my heart. They are on my mind 24-7-365 ! I know they live just in Heaven and will see them one day! God bless them all and all my family past,present and those yet to come !