PIERRE, SD – Shannon Moran, 54, of Pierre, SD passed away on August 1, 2026 at his home.

Funeral service will be 11:00AM on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at New Life Church in Pierre.

Visitation will be for one-hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery at Pierre. In lieu of flowers, and to help defray the cost of funeral expenses, money and cards can be sent to Alexis, Avery, or Leyton Moran at 4201 N Interlachen Trail, Sioux Falls, SD 57107.

 

Shannon Patrick Moran, son of Elta Summerson and Dennis Moran, came sprinting into the world, dethroning his big sister Kelly from only child status on August 26, 1971 in Jefferson, Iowa. Shannon spent his childhood zipping up and down the streets of Bayard, Iowa with the McAlister kids across the street. At only about 100lbs soaking wet, freshman-Shannon realized that football might not be his calling, so he turned to running and found great success in cross country and track. During his senior year of high school, Shannon was promoted to big brother, as surprise, little sister Kelsey was born. Classmates recall that he proudly carried her out onto the basketball court during senior night that season. Shannon graduated from Coon Rapids-Bayard High School in 1990 and went on to attend Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa where he ran cross country, track, and earned his undergraduate degree in biology. Summers were spent roofing houses with the renowned Herman Crew, and he was affectionately known as “The Fifth Herman Brother.”

 

Shannon enrolled at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa and graduated with his doctoral degree in June of 1998. Following graduation, Shannon passed his South Dakota Boards and moved to Pierre, where he opened his own practice. On September 2, 1999, Shannon was united in marriage to Angela (Soutter) Johnson and together, they had Alexis, Avery, and Leyton. As a heavy metal music lover, Shannon was ecstatic when Alexis came home from school and declared that she wanted to play the drums. He enjoyed attending her Christmas piano recitals at the Capitol and all of her band performances at school. Shannon loved taking Avery and Leyton pheasant hunting, coaching them in youth soccer, and watching college football with them on Saturdays.

 

Shannon had a very special place in his heart for all of his dogs, and while legend tells us that he once put Kelly’s cat Skeeter in the dryer out of little brother spite, he truly was an animal lover at heart. Shannon bled Hawkeye black and gold, as well as Seminole maroon, and attended several Hawkeye football games with friends and family. He loved rocking out at several heavy metal concerts with his buddies. Shannon would live out the rest of his days in Pierre.

 

Shannon lived a life of unbridled joy and agonizing struggle – where both vibrancy and darkness were in constant motion, coexisting for years. While we will never fully understand the scope of this dichotomy, we will choose to remember the good, while recognizing the battle within, as it would be dishonoring to him and his loved ones to claim one but not the other.

 

Shannon is preceded in death by his father Dennis Moran. He is survived by his children Alexis, Avery, and Leyton, his mother Elta Summerson, his sisters Kelly (John) Schweer, Kelsey (Jordan) Dinkla, and his nieces Corrin Schweer and Lauren (Binh) Bui.

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