Donald Thomas

Shankin

Donald Thomas Shankin III passed away on February 7, 2025 at the age of 43. Born on January 27, 1982, in Grand Rapids, MI, Don led a life filled with love and devotion to his family.

Don spent his childhood in Grand Rapids, where he enjoyed outdoor adventures at his grandfather's cabin and created lasting memories with friends and family. From setting the highway on fire while playing Roman candle tag, to his first concert experience with Michael Jackson, Don's early life was filled with excitement and mischief. He learned to read maps early on and became the family navigator during road trips. His dad would wake him up in the middle of the night to witness the northern lights or follow bear tracks, sparking Don's lifelong love for learning and exploration.

Don graduated from Central High School in Grand Rapids in 2000 and went on to

earn a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 2008. He built a successful career as a computer programmer, where his skills and dedication were highly respected.

He is survived by his loving wife of 16 years, Shawynque Whitney Shankin (Tabb Ganger); their two sons, Jadon Simon Shankin and Isaiah Nathaniel Shankin; his parents, Karen Ann Burney (Smith) and Donald Thomas Shankin Jr.; his stepfather, Nimmie Burney; his siblings, Sean Shankin, Celeste Merriweather (Shankin), Terra Shankin, David Shankin, Tyler Shankin, and Eden Shankin; and his nieces and nephews, Myana, Trystin, Devon Jr., August, Arya, and Jabari.

Don's hobbies included driving his Nissan 370z, building and shooting guns at the

range, building Lego sets and conducting science experiments with his children. He cherished boys' nights with his sons, where they would enjoy dinners, book shopping, movies, bike rides in the summer, and sledding in the winter.

Known for his loving, kind, and caring personality, Don was a loving husband, devoted father, fantastic son and brother, and cherished friend who would do anything for his family. His big belly laugh and passion for tinkering, building, and engineering projects will be remembered fondly by all who knew him. Don's legacy will live on in the hearts and memories of those he touched.