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James “Shawn” Owns Medicine passed away on Thursday November 19, 2020 at his home in Hermiston, Oregon after years of battling Diabetes and the numerous complications that came with it.
He was born at home, in the family’s two-story log cabin in Stevensville, Montana on April 10, 1964; the first of four children born to Beverly Jeneen McConnell; first grandson to Helen & Simon Owns Medicine; first great-grandson to Anna Catherine Colville & Pete & Lulu Owns Medicine.
He was an enrolled member of Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes in Poplar, Montana and descendent of the Standing Rock Sioux. In true tribal tradition, Shawn was welcomed into the multiple generational family that all lived within the same city block which facilitated availability of family to care for the children and later for the elders. His mother Beverly and her siblings enjoyed the benefits of the tight knit extended family growing up, so much so that she turned to that family structure when she found herself a single mother to three small children, believing in the strength and safety it brought.
Born a “two spirit” he was known for his tremendous caring ability and for always being a reliable and faithful friend. Throughout the years, he was always a trusted advisor and ultimately a caregiver to his elders, his Great Grandmother “Nanny”and his Grandma Helen. As the next generations grew up and left the less than culturally, racially diverse Western Montana. Shawn remained until his Grandma Helen passed away.
Shawn was raised almost exclusively in Stevensville, having left a few times only to follow his heart back to Stevensville. He attended all his years of school in Stevensville and graduated from Stevensville High School, class of 1984. He later attended the University of Montana briefly before graduating from Missoula Vocational Technical Center where he studied Fashion & Retail Merchandising. In 1990, he moved to Spokane, Washington to be near his Aunt Aurellia Richey & late Uncle Ron Richey, but the new adventure was short lived as he wanted to return “home” to Montana. But when he called his younger sister to say he leaving; her best friend found her crying at her apartment in Hermiston and immediately drove her to Spokane where big brother was unable to handle seeing his little sister cry—and he finally agreed to join his Mom, brother and two sisters in Hermiston, Oregon. Time nor miles lessened the bonds and he settled in and enjoyed a close relationship with his family.
Shawn began his working career utilizing his amazing artistic talent as a sign maker around Ravalli County Montana; his natural ability to create about anything with his hands also lent itself to being a ranch hand. He also worked for the town of Stevensville as a Maintenance Assistant until he moved to Spokane.
Once he settled in Hermiston, he went to work Lamb Weston Hermiston for almost 25 years until the amputation of his left leg forced him into medical retirement in 2015. He enjoyed creating art in many forms; his sketches would appear effortless as he’d pencil draw an entire Montana landscape or the face of the person he was talking to. His talent flowed easily from what he imagined in his head right out thru his hands as he cross stitched, made jewelry, had crafted unique and colorful Native American Dream Catchers. He enjoyed sewing, traveling and photography—always behind the camera capturing precious moments, but rarely on film himself.
Words everyone has used to described him throughout his 56 years on this earth always start with he never knew a stranger, was well known for his kindness, caring, trusting, and loving spirit. Traits that will forever be treasured and missed all across the generations of our family; his friends who became family, his Lamb Weston family and people who never knew the name of they guy that helped them out without asking for even a thank you.
James Shawn is survived by: brother: Quin (Rhana) McConnell, sister: Warrine Terpening (Jeff Carper), all of Hermiston, OR; Niece Anna Cathrine Cambell (husband A.J. Koester) of Denver Colorado; Step-niece Kristina Leddy (Jim) and their children Aaron & Kaitlyn all of Las Vegas Nevada; Nephew Jonathan Cambell (Kashel) with Great Niece, Kalissa Cambell of Hermiston. Sister Angel McConnell (Ryan Meier), Stanfield, OR. His son-of-the heart: Nick Kinzer, Twin Falls, ID; One grandchild-of-the-heart: Odessya. His aunt: Aurellia Richey, cousins Fawn Richey (Abdu Nigeria) and her children Dean, Hawa Eli; and cousin Jarrett Richey. Cousin Leona Henderson,(Tom) Hamilton, Montana & her daughter Shelby Jensen. Cousin Michael Owns Medicine, Ford, WA; Cousin, Bren Cox (Tim) and their daughters Chandler, Alexandria, & MacKenna. Lee Smith, Crystal River, Florida. Cousin Jon Clarkson (Magda) and children Ashley, Jacob & Gabi.
Shawn was preceded in death by his mom: Beverly McConnell; Grandparents Helen & Simon Owns Medicine; Great Grandparents Anna & Malcolm Colville, Pete & Lulu Owns Medicine; his uncle Larry Owns Medicine & Uncle Maynard Owns Medicine; brother-in-law Ronald Burdick.
Services will be held in the Spring 2021 in Hermiston and Stevensville Montana. Please share memories of Shawn with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com or if you have an ever so rare photo of James Shawn—please email it to: jamesshawnownsmedicine@gmail.com Cards, letters, or questions for the family can be sent C/O Attn: Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, Oregon who is in care of arrangements.
Normally a vibrant part of everyone’s life; he grew quiet and started attending less and less get togethers with the exception of, even from a wheelchair—his “open to everyone” Thanksgiving. But what took a piece of his bright spirit was the stereotypical misunderstanding of the disease he battled for years—Diabetes. Diabetes is often erroneously attributed to one's lifestyle or even blamed and shamed for having it. In reality the disease is passed through genetics & not something one has done to themselves. Lifestyle can only contribute to it—one first must have it for lifestyle to factor in. Sadly, it is far too common amongst American Indigenous Peoples and will pass forward thru many generations even as the native blood quantum lessens. Shawn was always outgoing and surprisingly active even as he worked graveyard shift, by choice, for decades. The later in life diagnosis of diabetes was difficult, but then the disease hit especially hard & progressed without pause, and was complicated by the infection he acquired with his first amputation surgery that was nearly fatal on multiple occasions, as he was forced to endure more medical procedures, pain and life challenges in 5 years than most people would in 100 lifetimes. Through it all he was a true Sioux Warrior Spirit shown in his commitment to life and never lessening his kind, caring nature as the disease that started harshly with the loss of a toe, his toes, his foot and finally just took his left leg in rapid succession. He still tried to return to work at Lamb Weston, without success, but even when he was recovering from the amputation of his left leg, his mind was on all the people he’d known during his 20+ years at Lamb Weston-Hermiston. Diabetes often brings blindness—but he was not willing to give it, so again he fought it with an ocular implant and stint; he fought back from a stroke, endured the next amputation, this time taking his right leg, still plagued with the infections that started with the first amputation and was a daily, constant fear leading up to the loss of his 2nd leg. He fought on and was home in less than 3 months, now facing life as a double amputee. The one visible chip in his spirit came with his kidney failure that tethered him to dialysis--a lonely process that began to wear on his body & his spirit as he heard a new medical term he didn’t care for: “life expectancy”. Then, without mercy, he endured a heart attack and the diagnosis of congestive heart failure; his reaction was to go home & reset his mind as he planned his annual Thanksgiving gathering for his friends and family. Any piece of his life would have broken most of us, but for Shawn, he had people to take care of, things to do and art projects in his head that needed to come out. He would not allow the hand he was dealt to lessen what he wanted to do or take his infectious smile or famous giggle.
Thursday, November 19th, as he prepared for his usual outing, that consisted of running errands in his new and prized powered wheelchair—his journey instead led him to join the elders. His pain and suffering stopped and our heartbreak began. If you ever hear some called a diabetic—remind them they are not—they may have diabetes; and to be careful because no one knows what is lingering hidden in our genetic makeup and no one fought a harder fight that James Shawn Owns Medicine.
This kind, gentle two-spirit man left an indelible mark on anyone who knew him, loved him or was lucky enough to call him friend. He never asked for anyone to accept who he was or forced anyone who didn’t want to know who he was. He was always there when needed, gave more than he could spare & never asked for anything in return--forever the giver. Forever our big brother; forever he will be missed.
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