Remembrance: Fair Havenite, RFH Grad, Musician, Shannon Gilvary; Fundraising for the RFH Band in His Memory

The Rumson-Fair Haven community and beyond is in mourning over the death to COVID-19 of Terence “Shannon” Gilvary, a musician and former longtime Fair Havenite and Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Class of 1986 graduate. He was 52.

Shannon passed away at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank, on Jan. 27. Having grown up in Fair Haven, he was a Middletown resident at the time of his death.

“A business automation specialist at Encon Mechanical, Ocean Township, for 27 years, Shannon’s passions were music, hockey, and sailing. He was a member of NJ Friends of Clearwater. Shannon enjoyed performing at open mic nights in the Red Bank area. He always surprised his musical family with his ability to play various instruments such as cello, flute, and French horn, in addition to his guitar. He was also a die-hard NJ Devils fan …
Shannon was known as a Red Bank icon and will be dearly missed by many. ”
Loved ones of Shannon Gilvary in his obituary

Upon the news of Shannon’s death, social media was flooded with memories and messages of condolence.

The messages were encapsulated in a post written by his high school friend, Jamie O’Brien, on the night of Shannon’s death.

Some excerpts …

“I lost my first friend to complications from Covid-19 today. In a word, Shannon changed my life. He was a new friend who brought me into his musical family at Rumson Fair-Haven Regional High School during my sophomore year- and a banner year it was!
“Because THAT was the year Shannon introduced me to Ruth Andermen, the choir director at RFH. After auditioning for her, I made a fateful decision and promptly quit the football team to join the chorus. And as a dedicated veteran public school music educator, I have never regretted that decision- Shannon was in the room …
“Shannon and I didn’t stay in touch much past high school. My family moved to South Carolina at the end of my 10th grade year. But when I came back to NJ a few summers to visit, Shannon would be there with the rest of my goofy, nerdy, loving, accepting musical family, to welcome me, and to celebrate together …

“Shannon Gilvary, I celebrate your life and how you changed mine. Without your wisdom and eye for talent, I might never have had a sophomore year filled with SO MANY musically formative experiences: from The Tower Guard to madrigal choir to mixed chorus to THE MUSIC MAN, laying the foundation for a future career in music education and a life’s dream fulfilled. YOU WERE THERE when I chose to follow my musical path…. to make a commitment tomy muse.
“You encouraged me. You accepted me. You listened to me. You celebrated with me. Football was not to be my destiny, and your life was so damn much more than a pandemic statistic …. Peace be with you, Shannon.“

Shannon is survived by: a wife and two children, Kandy Hyer Gilvary, Kenneth Gilvary, and Amanda Gilvary, of Fair Haven; his mother, Edna Gilvary, of Middletown; his brother, Michael Gilvary, sister-in-law, Christine Weir and nephew Cormac Gilvary, all from Los Angeles, CA.

He is preceded in death by his father, Patrick Gilvary.

In lieu of flowers, the family has initiated a GoFundMe fundraiser to raise money for the RFH Marching Bulldogs in Shannon’s honor. So far, $5,756 has been raised, 100 percent of which will go to the high school marching band. Shannon was a band member when at RFH. His daughter is also a band member. Click here to donate.

People may also donate to NJ Friends of Clearwater by clicking here.

Due to the COVID pandemic, a celebration of life will be held with his family and friends at a later date.

— Edited obituary provided by loved ones via Thompson Memorial Home