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Shannon Davis Family Papers

An inventory of the collection at the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University

Summary

Creator: Davis, Shannon
Title: Shannon Davis Family Papers
Dates: 1986-2014
Size: 6 boxes, 3.25 linear feet
Abstract: Materials relating to Shannon Davis, one of the 35 students killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 while returning from studying abroad through Syracuse University's Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA), and her mother, Jane Davis
Language: English
Repository: Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/pan-am-103

Biography

Shannon Davis

Shannon Davis (1969-1988) was among the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. She was a junior in Syracuse University's College for Human Development. Shannon's dream was to operate a day-care center for young children after she graduated. In London, Shannon studied child development and worked at toy libraries, where children could go and play. From Shelton, Connecticut, Shannon was survived by her mother, Jane, as well as a brother, Jim, and a sister, Whitney, also SU graduates. She was predeceased by her father Winston, who died earlier in 1988 in an accident in Saudi Arabia.

From Shannon's mother we know that the words on Shannon's memorial card were found among her notes, which she wrote after the death of her father, and the daffodils depicted there were drawn in the last letter Shannon sent to her mother.


A butterfly lights between us
like a sunbeam
And for a brief moment
its glory and beauty
belong to our world...

But then it flies on again
and though we wish
it could have stayed
we feel so lucky
to have seen it.

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Scope and Content Note

The Shannon Davis Family Papers contains series for: Audiovisual materials, Clippings, Correspondence, Memorabilia, Photographs, Printed material, Scrapbooks and Subject files. The series for Correspondence, Photographs and Subject files contain subseries for Jane Davis, Shannon's mother, and for Phil Haigh, the Scottish rescuer who located Shannon and her belongings. Jane's materials will help the researcher to better understand the aftermath of the bombing. This includes the emotional toll, evident in the condolence letters and many of Jane's writings, and the legislative and legal impacts of Pan Am 103. The materials of Phil Haigh will provide insight into the rescue efforts undertaken by Scottish emergency personnel as well as the effect such a disaster has on those involved in the response effort. Shannon's materials will allow the researcher a chance to know Shannon as she was. Her scrapbook, especially, provides a chance to experience Syracuse University as Shannon did. Along with her photographs from trips to Munich and Florence, some of her written work, and other materials found in this collection.

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Alternative Formats

Selected materials from this collection have been digitized. Please contact the archivist for further information on accessing the materials.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Please note that some materials are restricted at donor's request.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Shannon Davis Family Papers. Related collections include:

On Eagle's Wings Collection

Pan Am Flight 103 Audiovisual Collection

Francis J. Duggan Collection

Pan Am 103 Individuals Collection

London 1988 Image Collection

Remembrance Quilt Collection

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Selected Search Terms

Names

Davis, Jane.
Davis, Shannon.
Haigh, Phil.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Incident, 1988.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- Case Studies.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- History.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States.
Terrorism -- History -- 20th Century.
Lockerbie (Scotland)

Types of material

Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence.
Memorabilia.
Photographs.
Scrapbooks.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Shannon Davis Family Papers,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Jane Davis, 2002.

Processing Information

The Shannon Davis Family Papers has been processed.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: Cara A. Howe
Date: 2012
Revision history: Mar 2015 - Stylistic changes (VSOM); Jun 2016 - New accessions integrated (VSOM); Feb 2018 - Stylistic changes (VSOM)

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Arrangement

The Shannon Davis Family Papers is arranged alphabetically within each series. Series are arranged alphabetically.

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Inventory

Audiovisual materials
Box 1 Postcards From Shannon 2000 (ID#: pa103_davis_s_001)
Listening copy
Box 6 Postcards From Shannon 2000 (1/8 inch audio cassette; running time 90:00) (ID#: pa103_davis_s_001)
Clippings
Box 1 Arlington memorial cairn circa 1995
Box 1 General 1988-2009
Correspondence
Jane Davis
Box 1 Condolences 1989-2003
Box 1 General 1989-1999
Box 1 General 2008-2014
Box 1 Kennedy, Edward M. November 18, 1993
Box 1 Mason, Lawrence, Jr. 2008
Box 1 Pan Am Corporation 1989
Box 1 Personal effects 1989
Box 1 Place of Remembrance 1990
Box 1 Remembrance Quilt circa 2008
Box 2 Remembrance Scholars 2013-2014
Box 2 Shelton High School 2009
Box 1 St. Hilaire Nelson, Beth 1988-1989
Box 2 Syracuse University 1992-1993, 1998-1999, 2004-2013
Box 2 Syracuse University Archives 1997, 2003-2013 (2 folders)
Box 2 Trial - Camp Zeist, Netherlands 1999-2000
Box 2 United Methodist Church 1990-2009
Box 2 United States Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) 2006, 2012
Box 2 United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 2011
Box 2 United States Department of State 1991
Box 2 Washington 1989-1993
Phil Haigh [rescuer]
Box 2 Davis, Jane 1989-1990, 1992
Shannon Davis
Box 2 Postcards 1988
 Just a line from London
 British flag
 Geneve
 Munchen bei Nacht
 Paris et ses merveilles
 Scotland bagpiper
 With love from London
 Roman baths
 Stonehenge
Memorabilia
Box 3 Flag, "Shannon Davis, victim of Pan Am Flight 103, 1969-1988" undated
Box 3 Rubbing of "Shannon Davis" from the Lockerbie Memorial Wall undated
Photographs
Jane Davis
Box 3 Arlington memorial cairn dedication 1995
 Jane Davis with Jane Schultz at the Arlington Memorial Cairn dedication
 Jane Davis with at the Arlington Memorial Cairn dedication
Box 3 Arlington memorial cairn and Lockerbie memorial services 1997, 1998, 2008
Box 3 Dark Elegy statue of Jane Davis undated
 Dark Elegy statue of Jane Davis
 Dark Elegy statue of Jane Davis
Box 3 Jane Davis at the Place of Remembrance with Ken and Jean Jones 2004
Box 3 Jane and Whitney Davis at the White House 11 February 1995
 Jane Davis [mother] and Whitney Davis [sister] at the White House
 Whitney Davis [sister] at the White House
Box 3 Lockerbie circa 1988, 1995
 Father Pat Keegans of Lockerbie speaks at Hendricks Chapel
 Alan Neale and his wife Jean with Jane Davis
 Flowers for Shannon Davis at Rosebank Crescent, Lockerbie, Scotland
 Flowers for Shannon Davis at Rosebank Crescent, Lockerbie, Scotland
Box 3 Memorial and bench in Ramsey, NJ undated
 Gretchen Dater memorial bench in Ramsey, New Jersey. Letitia Lyon Sage [Dater friend], Jane Davis, Mary Kay Stratis, Kathy Tedeschi, Mary Lou Ciulla and Joan Dater
Box 3 Jane Davis with Remembrance Scholars at Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. board meeting 1990
Box 3 Shannon Davis Memorial Award 1996
 Shannon Davis memorial award plaque
 Jennifer Lasker, Remembrance Scholar and recipient of Shannon Davis Memorial Award and Jane Davis, mother of Shannon
 Jane Davis presents Lockerbie pin to Jennifer Lasker, Remembrance Scholar
 Jean Susan Crockett and Jenny Lesken, Remembrance Scholar
Box 3 Jane Davis with family of Kesha Weedon circa 2003
 Jane Davis and family of Pan Am 103 victim Kesha Weedon
 Jane Davis and family of Pan Am 103 victim Kesha Weedon
Phil Haigh [rescuer]
Box 3 Phil Haigh and family with rescue dog Tosh 1988-1992
 Phil Haigh and Tosh
 Phil Haigh and Tosh at Tundergarth Churchyard, Lockerbie
 Phil Haigh and Tosh with helicopter
 Phil Haigh and Tosh with helicopter
 Phil Haigh and Tosh with helicopter
 Phil Haigh and Tosh with helicopter
 Andy Haigh and Shannon [Phil's dog named for Shannon Davis]
 Andy, Phil and Ben Haigh in London
 Linda Haigh, wife
 Shannon Davis's suitcase at crash site
Shannon Davis
Box 3 Florence and Munich 1988
 Munich
 Munich
 Munich
 Munich
 Munich
 Munich
 Munich
 Munich
 Shannon Davis, Sandy Phillips and others in Munich
 Dachau, Munich
 Dachau, Munich
 Dachau, Munich
 Dachau, Munich
 Dachau, Munich
 Dachau, Munich
 Dachau, Munich
 Dachau, Munich
 Dachau, Munich
 Florence
 Duomo, Florence
 Florence
 Florence
 Florence
 Florence
 Florence
 Duomo, Florence
 Duomo, Florence
 Duomo, Florence
 Duomo, Florence
Box 3 From Richard Miazga [pictured: Shannon Davis, Suzanne Miazga, Frederick "Sandy" Phillips] 1988, 1990
 Letter from Richard Miazga to Jane Davis
 Beth St. Hilaire Nelson and Shannon Davis
 Shannon Davis, Beth St. Hilaire Nelson, Suzanne Miazga [Pan AM 103 victim], Stuart Potchinsky
 Shannon Davis, Beth St. Hilaire Nelson, Suzanne Miazga [Pan AM 103 victim], Stuart Potchinsky
 Shannon Davis, Beth St. Hilaire Nelson, Suzanne Miazga [Pan AM 103 victim], Sandy Phillips [Pan AM 103 victim]
 Shannon Davis, Beth St. Hilaire Nelson, Suzanne Miazga [Pan AM 103 victim], Sandy Phillips [Pan AM 103 victim]
 Shannon Davis, Beth St. Hilaire Nelson, Suzanne Miazga [Pan AM 103 victim]
 Beth St. Hilaire Nelson, Stuart Potchinsky, unknown, Shannon Davis, Suzanne Miazga [Pan AM 103 victim] at Stonehenge
 Stuart Potchinsky, Shannon Davis, Beth St. Hilaire Nelson, Sandy Phillips [Pan AM 103 victim]
Box 3 Portraits of Shannon Davis 1980-1988
 Plaque at Bridgeport Hospital Pediatrics Department, Connecticut
 Plaque at Bridgeport Hospital Pediatrics Department, Connecticut
 Shan at Pebble Beach, Brighton
 Shannon Davis remembrance poster
 Shannon Davis
 Shannon Davis
 Shannon Davis with carnations
 Shannon Davis in England
 Shannon Davis, Suzanne Miazga, Sandy Phillips, Beth St. Hilaire Nelson at Stonehenge
 Shannon Davis senior year
 Shannon Davis sixth grade class photograph
 Shannon Davis junior year
 Shannon Davis sophomore year
 Shannon Davis freshman year
 Shannon Davis eighth grade
 Shannon Davis seventh grade
Printed materials
Box 3 Artwork undated
Box 3 Memorial card circa 1988
 Shannon Davis memorial card
Box 3 Nichols United Methodist Church programs 1989, 1991-1993, 1998
Box 3 Remembrance Scholarships 1990-1998
Scrapbooks
Box 5 Scrapbook of Shannon Davis 1986-1987
Subject files
Jane Davis
Box 3 Air crash casualty emotional support services 1999, 2001, undated
Box 3 Artwork undated
Box 3 Awards and recognitions 1990
Box 3 Business cards undated
Box 3 Conference on sanctions against terrorist nations at Georgetown University 1997
Box 3 First anniversary and Lockerbie memorial 1989-1990
Box 3 Indictments 1991, 1999
Box 3 Interview with Dr. Robert Greene 1997
Box 3 Mid Annandale Playcare undated
Box 3 National Air Disaster Alliance and Foundation circa 2001
Box 4 "Postcards from Shannon" radio and TV program circa 2000
Box 4 Release of Abdelbasset al-Megrahi 2009
Box 4 Remembrance Week 2008-2009
Box 4 Senate Foreign Relations Committee 1999, 2004
Box 4 Trial - Camp Zeist, Netherlands circa 2000
Box 4 Tundergarth Remembrance Room 30 June 1990
Box 4 United Nations sanctions 2002
Box 4 Victims' rights groups 2000-2001, undated
Box 4 Writings 1989, circa 1997, circa 2002, undated
Phil Haigh [rescuer]
Box 4 Journal December 1988
Shannon Davis
Box 4 Certificates 1969-1970, 1982, 1988
Box 4 Memorial award at Syracuse University 1988, 1990
Box 4 Memorial scholarships 1989
Box 4 Memory book, from memorial service at Syracuse University circa 1988-1989
Box 4 Syracuse University circa 1985-1987
 DIPA program acceptance letter
 Syracuse University acceptance letter
Box 4 Testing scores. high school 1982, 1987
Box 4 Tributes and memorials 1989, 1998
Box 4 Writings undated
Box 4 Whitney Davis [sister] 1989
Box 4 Winston Davis [father] 1988

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