Shawn Lewis Setelin

Shawn Lewis Setelin was 50 years old on January 7, 2024 when he passed after an arduous battle with the monster that is glioblastoma. He was born to Cherry Cris Ellison and the late Carl Davis Setelin on June 15, 1973 in Denver, Colorado. Living and growing up in Arvada he went to Campbell Elementary, Oberon Middle School, and Arvada West High School. At these schools and during his youth he found his lifelong friends and brothers who he affectionately called “the Crew”. The Crew consisted of Frank Kuligowski, Chuck Walton, Shaun Knudsen, and Scott Matey. These friends along with their families were instrumental in his life and their love and examples of family showed Shawn what he wanted his future family to be like.

The difference between his home life and the homes of his friends, especially Shaun Knudsen, struck a chord. Shawn asked his friend Shaun what the difference was. Shaun Knudsen explained that he believed in eternal families and that their family was one that would last forever as they were sealed together. This and other conversations for Shawn were life changing. When he went to army basic training right after high school, he asked the Knudsen family for a “Mormon Bible” to read. After returning from basic training, he took the missionary discussions and was baptized on Halloween in 1991. The very next day he was shipped off to Germany and found that military life was lonely for him but having the Book of Mormon gave him guidance in all things. Since his goal was to have a family, he decided that army life was not for him. He was honorably discharged after serving four years.

He moved to Provo, Utah to start college with Shaun Knudsen and their goal to date a bunch of girls. However, they only dated roommates Liz and Linda. Shawn and Liz spent almost every day together and were married three months later. Shawn and Liz created a beautiful life in which seven children were born. These children: Alexandra, Naomi, Mary, Levi, Luke, Hyrum, and Joseph were Shawn’s love and joy. They were an actualization of his future forever family as he always wanted to be a husband and father. When coming out of the anesthesia after the first brain surgery his thoughts were “I’m alive!” and “I get to hold my babies again!”.

Shawn held many jobs until 2001 when President Hinkley gave a talk about returning to school to gain an education. This talk was life changing and Alex remembers her father telling her that they were to follow the prophet and he needed to return to school. This led Shawn to return to Provo, Utah to go to school at Brigham Young University to obtain his degree in Mechanical Engineering. His career began at Quadna where he began working with pumps and compressors. From this job he was able to move to Sundyne which was his goal. There he was an amazing manager and friend to many people. Those he worked, fed, and played board games with at Sundyne were family. He cared for his coworkers’ struggles, lives, and their wellbeing. Shawn was extremely grateful for the generosity and kindness Sundyne showed our family as we navigated his cancer diagnosis.

The three most important things to Shawn were God, his family, and his friends. He was kind to those in need, respected everyone, he wanted to know everyone’s name that came into his life. He was honest, loved to feed everyone, watch and quote movies and music, loved to play basketball with the church morning basketball group, and to play board games. His family will greatly miss him, but we know that he is free from his temporal prison and is with his God, a baby that never made it earthside, and ancestors who went before him.

Shawn would want you to know how much he loved all of you, his faith in his Savior Jesus Christ, how much he loves his wife and kids, and his mantra from the last years of his fight with cancer “it’s been a hell of a ride but I’m thinking it’s time to go!”

Shawn is survived by his mother, Cherry Cris Ellison, siblings, Trisha (Joe) Willis, Christopher (Sandy) Setelin, and crew brothers, Frank Kuligowski, Shaun Knudsen, Chuck Walton, and Scott Matey. He is also survived by his beloved wife Elizabeth Setelin and his seven children: Alexandra (Kevin) Larson, Naomi (Zachary) Harris, Mary Setelin, Levi Setelin, Luke Setelin, Hyrum Setelin, and Joseph Setelin. He also leaves behind three granddaughters Emery Harris, Genevieve Larson, and Freya Harris. Shawn is preceded in death by his Grandad Jasper and Grandma Mary Grace Ellison and his father Carl Davis Setelin. Shawn loves and is always rooting for his in-laws, nieces, nephews and the best son-in-laws ever.

A Visitation will take place on Monday, January 15, 2024 at Horan & McConaty, 7577 W. 80th Ave., Arvada, CO 80003, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The Funeral Service is on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at the Alkire Building, 12995 W. 72nd Street, Arvada, CO 80005, beginning at 11:00 am (this event will be live streamed for those that can not attend in person, see link below). Burial will take place at 1:30 pm, at Fort Logan National Cemetery Staging Area C.

Flowers are to be sent to Horan & McConaty Funeral Home in Arvada, CO. If you feel so inclined to donate the family’s GoFund Me page to help support his family, please follow this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/shawn-liz-setelin-family-and-medical