Shawn Black

“Well, we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun,” John Lennon, “Instant Karma.”

It is with profound sorrow that I share the news of the peaceful passing of Shawn Black on February 19, 2025, after a sudden illness.

The picture is what I saw every day. I raced home from work, and we would drink coffee, talk about our day, talk about life, or a show we were watching together. The precious mundane of a life shared and cherished. It was a touchstone for both of us.

He was a loving and devoted husband. Every morning, he made my lunch to take to school. Everyday. We told each other how lucky we were to have found each other.

Shawn was pure creativity. He made a salad a work of art. He didn’t really think in words but in feelings and images. There was always a drawing pad handy for him to illustrate what he wanted to explain. When he didn’t know what to say he would break into song. Which often drove people crazy. When he was in the middle of painting, he would just emanate joy and energy. Our home was filled with color, light, and his pure voice.

Shawn studied at the Florida School of the Arts and came to Gainesville when he was cast in a Hippodrome production of Biloxi Blues. It was where we met, became friends, and fell madly and deeply in love. He was an accomplished artist and worked all over the country creating museum environments with Museum Services. He participated in creating a traveling bat cave, sculpting and painting sea snakes in the Bahamas and for the Tampa Aquarium, a life-size sewer home for the Ninja Turtle Museum in Massachusetts, and numerous projects for Universal and Busch Gardens. Shawn was a working artist and produced gators in every style for t-shirts and painted public murals all around Gainesville for commercial locations and residences. For several years he created Christmas paintings for Haven Hospice, and in later years he began woodworking. His more recent work was a set design for the 2023 Oak Hall All School Musical, The Battle of the Boat. He loved building and creating. His attention to detail could be maddening. But his life mantra was always “Do things the right way.”

In 38 years, I never witnessed Shawn being unkind to anyone. His sister Jenny said as a child he would stand up for the kids who were picked on and befriended those who had no friends. He struggled with injustice and cruelty in any form and felt the pain of others.

His last breath was taken to the music of the Beatles, and he passed without suffering. Even so, Shawn would want us all to take a breath, and realize, as George Harrison sang, “I must be on my way and face another day.” All things must pass.

He is survived by his wife Julie Black of Gainesville, Florida; sister Joy (Jim) Stephenson of Gainesville, Florida; Nathan Black of Visalia, California; Craig (Shelia) Black of Jacksonville, Florida; sister Jennifer (Kriss) Strand of Gainesville, Florida; his sister from another mother Susie (Ted) Gilson of Gainesville, Florida; 6 nephews, 4 nieces and several great nieces and nephews.

 Crevasse's Simple Cremation is honored to serve the Black family.