Visitation and Mass of Christian Burial - Shaughn Loper

William “Shaughn” Shaughnessy Loper died peacefully at home on April 24, 2025. He was born on June 3, 1945, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to parents Madeline and Joseph Carroll Loper. He graduated in 1963 from Saint Joseph Catholic High School in Jackson, Mississippi, and received a B.S. in Finance in 1967 from Villanova University. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army and served as a First Lieutenant in the Vietnam War. For his courageous service and sacrifice, he was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star with Valor, and the Army Commendation Medal.

After his military service, Shaughn returned to Mississippi and earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi through the GI Bill. He settled in Northeast Jackson, where he cultivated a lifelong career in real estate analysis that spanned more than five decades.

On a blind date in 1971, Shaughn met Candace Clay, his future wife and the love of his life. Shaughn and Candace enjoyed fifty-two happy years together. In addition to raising four children, they loved searching Mississippi for the best catfish and seafood (always with Creole seasoning) and being committed members of the Catholic community at Saint Richard Catholic Church and Saint Francis Catholic Church for more than fifty years. Shaughn was a gifted storyteller with a keen memory, able to recall detailed events stretching back many decades. He loved to read Southern literature, cheer for the Saints in good years and bad, and closely follow our Nation’s politics.

Shaughn is survived by his wife, Candace, and children Brett Shaughnessy Loper of Arlington, Virginia; Ashley Clay Loper of Hwaseong City, South Korea; Tara Michele Loper of Arvada, Colorado; and Shea Brennan Loper of Denver, Colorado. He is also survived by nine grandchildren as well as his sisters, Megan Aileen Loper of Falls Church, Virginia and Madeline Loper Daley of Denver, Colorado and brother, Brian Patrick Loper of Indian Springs, Alabama.