Shawn Selway passed away peacefully at home due to cancer on Monday, February 7, at 73. Just like he dealt with all experiences in life, Shawn managed his illness with strength and grace. During his final days, he was surrounded by his wife and best friend Sheri (of 42 years), his children, Zoe (Brad), Patricia (David) and his Grandchildren: Jackson, Nathan and Kira. Shawn is predeceased by his father, Bernard Selway. He will be greatly missed by his mother Gerda and his siblings Maureen (Caleb), Michael (Linda), Sharon, Denise (Kevin), Charles (Caroline), and his extended family.
A true Hamiltonian. Shawn received a degree from McMaster and trained as a Millwright at Stelco. Shawn wrote many stories and articles about the city and advocated for the most vulnerable.
His award-winning book, « Nobody Here Will Harm You » featured a passionate study and account of the mass medical evacuation of Inuit tuberculosis patients from the Eastern Arctic to Hamilton Sanatorium. Shawn’s relentless passion for improving housing conditions led him to assist with the Stoney Creek Tower rent strike.
On the issues facing Canada’s Indigenous population, in Shawn’s own words, « No, they won’t be solved by me, and I hesitate to say we are at the whim of larger forces, but when we see what we think we can do, then we ought to do that. And press and press and press, so that things happen sooner. People only have one life, and the time is crucial. »
The words and sentiments from his many friends and family tell of Shawn’s legacy as one of fierce love and solidarity: He is described as a passionate, reliable and principled friend and will be remembered fondly as a great man who cared deeply about the injustices of this world. Shawn inspires caring and respect from writing to activism and even painting asphalt. His life is a testament to how one person can make the world a better place.
Thank you for modelling how to grow older with convictions and patience intact and maintaining a rich web of relationships, for your eloquence, poise, intellect, and most of all, your sense of justice at the service of others. When a tent cover rips, most people will abandon the tent to the dump, but Shawn builds a wooden case on wheels.
Adieu, mon ami, you have earned your rest.
The family would like to thank the Palliative Care Team and the M.A.I.D. program for supporting him through this process. Please donate to Indwell or Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion (HCCI) in lieu of flowers. Online condolences can be made at www.dermodys.com.
A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.
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Tuesday February 8th 2022
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Shawn Selway Tuesday February 8th 2022..
Décès pour la Ville:HAMILTON, Province: Ontario