Shawna Elizabeth Cooper

Shawna Elizabeth Cooper, 40, of Grantsboro, North Carolina, passed away Friday, May 22, 2026, surrounded by loved ones in her home.

Shawna earned an Associate’s Degree in the Arts and majored in Creative Writing for her Bachelors at UNC Asheville. She could morph into the personality of her choosing from Artist and Writer to Painter and Empath. As a media influencer, Shawna, aka Lizzie, wore her heart on her sleeve and wanted the world to witness and share in her adventure. She posted her art and often featured her own unique cast of characters for a children’s book. Her talents were innumerable and her passion for the needy knew no bounds, like the breadth and depth of her love of music…and cats.

Shawna was authentic in her innate ability to connect with children with autism and people with developmental disabilities. Whether it was her work with Easterseals UCP, ASAP, Autism Support and Programs of Wilmington, or serving as Job coach and/or Mentor, Shawna very often accomplished the absolute impossible.

In the spirit of her own words:

I find inspiration in everyday and unexpected things. Vintage shoes, candy packaging, ribbon in the fabric store bins, a fresh box of crayons and signs and architecture around town. They put a glimmer in my eye and a spark in my mind. -Shawna

She is survived by her mother, Diana; and stepdad, Frank Sawyer, of Grantsboro, NC. Father, Gene; and stepmother, Tracy Cooper, of Holly Springs, NC; maternal grandmother, Myrtle Bridges, of Angier, NC; siblings, Sunny and Elijah Webb of Grantsboro, NC, Mackenzie (Denel) Cooper of Willow Springs, Beth (Andrew) Davis of Fuquay, NC, and Eric Tatum of Roxboro, NC.