SHOEMAKER, BRYAN T., 56 of Andover, MA, passed peacefully on the morning of April 3, 2014, surrounded by his family and beloved MGH medical team, after a long, hard-fought battle with cancer. Bryan’s motto, which he adopted on a trip to one of his favorite places in the entire world, the University of Notre Dame, was to BELIEVE. Bryan believed that he could fight to beat the statistics; he believed that he could pull himself up, no matter how sick he felt, to enjoy every minute of his life; and at the end, he believed and trusted in God’s plan for him.
Bryan is survived by his son and daughter in-law Matthew and Shannon Shoemaker, his son Jason Shoemaker, his daughter Georgianna Shoemaker, his sisters Donna Perras and Janet Shoemaker, his step father Jack O’Hara, his father George Shoemaker and a number of uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws. Bryan was predeceased by his mother, Elizabeth Wakeman O’Hara. Bryan was an inspiration to all who knew him; he will be deeply missed and forever loved.
One of Bryan’s final requests was to ensure that any service in his honor be a celebration of his life rather than a mourning of his passing. A funeral service will be held at Christ Church, 33 Central Street, Andover, MA 01810 on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 2PM. Visiting hours with family will immediately precede the service from 12 - 2PM and a reception will follow from 3 - 5PM in the Parish Hall at Christ Church. A private interment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org in memory of Bryan.