Shaun Lewis Wilkinson (1 Jul 1988 - 8 Apr 2024)

Shaun, the same as a lot of people on here I don't think its quite sunk in that are no longer with us.

You had a positive affect on everyone you met with your warm personality and endless optimism.

I don't think you ever realised your true value and how highly you were regarded amongst those lucky enough to have call you a friend.

You maybe be gone but you'll never forgotten.

Shaun, over One year you have helped me through so many struggles and you always listened to me when I was feeling low, you meant so much to me. I will miss you always. There’s no words that can describe how you mean to me and how much you helped me I have no words to explain. Rest in heavenly peace

Shaun, it has been a privilege to have met you and spend time with you this year. I really don’t have the words to write down exactly how I’m feeling, I just really hope you knew how I felt about you. In the worst possible circumstances, it’s been amazing to meet your friends and family and understand how loved you were by so many people. You have the most amazing infectious energy that I couldn’t help but gravitate towards, and you are undoubtedly one of the funniest people I’ve ever met (I hope I gave you a few laughs too). Not sure how I came across someone who drank (almost) as fast as me, had somehow seen Six the musical more times than me, and who enjoyed playing me Ronan Keating/Zach Bryan/Dermott Kennedy in earlier hours of the morning. I’ll forever be confused by your baffling levels of anxiety regarding your tight jeans, your undetectable bald spot, and your ability to overthink anything. My heart goes out Carole, Nathan, and all of your friends and family, I’m thinking of them constantly. I’m just so happy to have met you and devastated to not still be able to talk to you everyday. Emily x

Our gorgeous Shaun. Thank you for so many beautiful childhood and school memories that we will all treasure for a life time. From being the first person in my life to truly make me laugh, to my first memory of you in your little wheelchair at play school with your broken leg to still being able to hear your ‘Shaun’ laugh even now. You will be so deeply missed and loved forever.

Shaun, I can’t believe I’m writing this, I know we haven’t seen each other since Christmas a few years ago, but I wanted to let you know, I’m so glad I met you, I’m glad our paths were randomly intertwined from the minute we met in 6th form, for years and years after one way or another. You were loved by everyone who met you, your massive smile, infectious laugh and determination to always have the best time on a night out is how I remember you amongst many other silly little things. I will never be able to listen to raspberry beret by prince without thinking of you, and I will never ever forget you. xx

Shaun,
I am devastated that you are no longer here with us but I am very grateful that I knew you.

I will always remember how much you made me laugh as well as sharing stories about travelling or our theories on true life documentaries on Netflix. You brought a special energy to the office, as well as to any social gathering.

Thank you for always listening to me and giving me encouragement.

You are so loved and I will miss you very much. I will think of you always. Big hugs, Tanya x

Shaun,
Like many others here, I've struggled to know what to write or when. I've cried my eyes out reading Rich and Rob messages. Like Rob said, it's been bittersweet to have met Rich, and he is a sound bloke, I can totally see how you loved living with him. I've shared a few bottles of white wine with him and listened to him in how much you meant him. And Rob, my god my darling Rob, to see how broken he is. I promise to check in on him for you. I would tell Rob often how much he means to me, because he is so openly emotional as I am, but I always struggled to let you know. I hope you knew that I absolutely adored you. More then you would realise. You were the first person (other the Laurel) that I connected with at work. The instant I met you on that social before Good Friday (Yr 1) I just thought wow, what a honest and open guy. You message me later that year and said how you instantly meet people and know you can trust them and how open and honest they are and that they are your people. I think that was the sweetest thing you ever said to me. And it touched my heart that is how you saw me and I didn't know how to say back to you I felt the same.
For me, meeting you led me to Rob and the beautiful Becky. Two of the most beautiful people I know and for that I will be so grateful. If even one of you was at the pub I knew i was in for a good night. But to have all three- blinding!
I've lost count of how many nights out I've spent a fortune on expensive Espresso Martini rounds and ubers home because I had tomorrow and didn't want to miss out.
I will also be forever grateful to how you looked after me through the redundancy period and how you ALWAYS had time for me. Even on your op day you remembered to message me goodluck and ask how it went when you were in recovery.
I don't think you realised when I got the job four days later you were the first person I told. Whilst a unusual way to get to know someone, those 3 months you were off and we got to know each were so special to me, the things we talked about and shared will always be precious to me. You meant so much to me and checking in on me almost daily on my big 'walk' telling me you believed in me, more then I did myself.

Work is so hard going in and seeing you not there, to not see you stroll in by lift same time as me pushing it late for 10am, I miss how lovely the office smelt when you wiffed by. I miss your sarcasm and random chats about crips (sorry but I still rate Skips and Watsits). I will miss seeing you at the pub, the simple nod of the head asking if I was alright.
Your presence is very much still there in softball and the pub chat. We all miss you so much. And whilst I wish today wasn't happening, I'm also devastated to be missing the funeral and not being able to meet Carole and Nathan and Nana. I feel I've heard you speak of them so much, that I would love to have met and hugged them. I want to be with our friends who all equally adored you. Bruce, Ellen, Rob, Becky, Ellie, Shelley, Tanya, Jamie and Niran to name a few. God you are so missed.
I didn't quite get my act together to find a ginger beer and make a Russell but I'm having a beer sitting on a rock overlooking the sea in a beautiful place in Italy, its so quiet and quaint here. Today is all about remembering and thinking of you. You loved the sun as much as me - and would be the first to comment ''have you been in the sun?''... so if I can't be with your family and friends today to say goodbye in person, then I guess this is the next best thing - so I'm going to have a few beers and then some and catch the rays for us both.

Forever love and miss you.
'MEL' X

Shaun, this is such a struggle to write. The first time I properly got to hang out with you was after a Crisis softball game. I remember thinking, 'This guy is hilarious, I hope he thinks I'm funny too'. I instantly wanted to be your friend. Your energy and playful sense of humour were absolutely infectious. And so we did become friends. As I got to know you better, I realised that you weren't simply an incredibly fun person, that no Friday night drinks would be the same without you, but you are one of the most compassionate and caring people I've ever known. Probably the most. What started as a love of your company, became something that I don't quite know how to put into words. We began to share with each other our personal struggles, and you would always, always check in with me. You would insist that I let you know if there is something wrong, so that you could be there to help. I know that you did this for other people as well, because you were that sort of beautiful person.

I also remember all the fun times as well. Looking forward to seeing you in work, riffing on 'Archer' and 'It's Always Sunny'. Your penchant for ordering 'Russells' (double vodka and ginger beer) on every night out, followed the next morning with you posting a GIF of Russell Crowe in one of the many WhatsApp groups, with the line, "He got me again". The fact that you liked one of my check shirts so much that you bought the same one, and we decided to come into work one day, both wearing it. Your ability to hit an astonishing amount of home runs at softball, and being very vocal about this. And of course, your top fives of everything.

Although, this is the worst circumstance to happen in, I have very much enjoyed getting to know Rich and Emily. They are both wonderful people, and funny as. They are part of what has made the absolute devastation of your passing, possible to get through. The fact that so many people loved you, means that there are a lot of us to look out for each other, just as you would have done. There are 90 people coming to the funeral, that is a staggering amount. I don't know of anyone else who so many people considered to be their best friend. You would have never believed that so many people cared so deeply about you, but we did. My heart goes out to Carole, Nathan and your Nana. I know you loved them so much, as they did you. The fact that you would call Carole everyday, I think made you the best son ever.

I so wish I could tell you one last time how much you meant to me. Not a day will go by that I won't miss you, but I will be forever grateful that I knew you. I love you Shaun, we all love you.