Shawn Douglas Bleak

Obituary

Shawn Douglas Bleak

February 28, 1970- August 18, 2023

Shawn Douglas Bleak, 53, moved on to greener pastures on Thursday, August 18, 2023, due to complications with his Type 1 Diabetes, a diagnosis he received at the age of fourteen.

Shawn was born in Thermopolis, Wyoming on February 28, 1970, to Douglas and Margaret (Doug and Margie) Bleak. From a young age, Shawn had an understanding and empathy for a life in agriculture, gravitating toward the life of a cowboy. His love for his horses and dogs was only out done by his love of his children, grandchildren, and family.

Shawn, like his five siblings, had an adventurous childhood and loved almost every minute of it. From starting elementary at the Wapiti School outside of Yellowstone, to homeschooling in British Columbia, Canada, from Lucerne to Dubois to Idaho, Shawn excelled in all things science and ag-related, including showing animals for 4-H and FFA, and the FFA program overall, where he held offices and received local and state awards. Shawn was rather shy in many ways, and quiet in his success, but he was a great public speaker. This skill came in to use later for the marriage ceremonies he performed. After his school years, he worked for several ranchers in Idaho as range rider: farming, building fence, lambing and calving and breaking horses. The family moved to Alaska for a short time, then back to Wyoming where Shawn worked a variety of jobs and learned a host of skills as a plumber, equipment operator, and as seasonal worker for the BLM including wildlife tech, construction and maintenance and assistant for BLM Wildlife Specialists. Shawn also spent a lot of time helping his family, whether it was building, remodeling, or helping someone move, he helped out whenever he could.

Two things not everyone knew about Shawn are that he was an excellent cook and a skilled and prolific poet. In both, he was meticulous and purposeful. He felt things deeply and he was forever a romantic. Shawn was married and divorced three times, and he was the proud father of three children: Sasha, Taten, Tamara, and a stepdaughter, Marissa, and a very proud grandpa to Chase, Eve, and Juniper. Due to the many injuries and illnesses he experienced during his life, he had to be placed on full disability at a young age, something that always bothered him a great deal. At the time of death, he was living independently in Sheridan, Wyoming with a host of neighbors and friends who cherished him, and of course, a family who loved him greatly. But Shawn was granted only a short time to live the life in the field of his dreams.

He was preceded in death by his baby boy, Taten Nicholes Bleak; his mother, Margie Bleak; his big brother, Mike Butler; all of his grandparents and too many other family members to mention here.

Shawn is survived by his father, Douglas Bleak; sisters: Cindi (Dave) Oriznick, Kelly Stephson, and Karen (Ron) Rimmer; brother, Justin (Kendra) Bleak; daughters, Sasha (Brandon) Goens, Tamara Bleak (James Irwin) and step-daughter, Merisa Jo Maul; granddaughter, Juniper Irwin and way too many cousins, aunts, and uncles to mention.

And while we know Shawn is no longer in pain and he is at peace, we will miss him for the rest of our lives. We will no longer hear that laugh, or see that teasing smile, yet we are forever grateful for the time we had to be a part of his life.

Cremation has taken place and no services are planned at this time. Memorial donations may be made at Big Horn Federal in Thermopolis and written to Sasha Goens. Please mail checks to PO Box 524, Worland, WY, 82401. You may also donate online. Online condolences may be made at www.bryantfuneralhomeonline.com.