Emily Ann Shagley was born in Terre Haute, Indiana on May 28, 1980 to Richard J. Shagley and Candace M. Johnson Shagley. A graduate of Terre Haute North High School, Emily loved laughter and lived larger than most do in multiple lifetimes. She always took the path less traveled and was an adventure seeker, giver and lover. But of all the worlds she had traveled and adventures she had seen, there was no place Emily was more proud than from where she was from. Emily loved Terre Haute and remained there until leaving for DePauw University in 1998 where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications.

Emily’s magnetic approach to life and unconditional love of all humans opened several gateways to work with charitable organizations like Journeys in Film and The Nourafchan Foundation. In 2018, after securing funding for a water borehole in Kenya, Emily co-founded SAWA Life, a sustainable social enterprise whose mission is to spread SAWA, or the good life. She did this by empowering disadvantaged women through employment and healthcare benefits in Kiberia, Africa’s largest slum.

Her kindness and generosity extended past these larger scale projects and into the intricacies of everyday life. Children were at the forefront of so many of her thoughts and she spent much of her life caring for them either through volunteer work or helping family members by lending a maternal hand.

Living a life centered around health and wellness, Emily meditated daily – a process that allowed her to flourish in a space free of judgement towards herself or others. She was never selfish with her insurmountable feelings of gratitude that she shared constantly with everyone through random acts of unexpected kindness. Her purpose in life was to help others fulfill their dreams by connecting, investing, championing and believing. It was truly one of her greatest pleasures getting to watch others be happy.

Sadly, Emily left this world much too soon on Monday, May 30, 2022 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. If friends should so desire, contributions may be made in Emily’s memory to the Emily Shagley Memorial Fund at the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, 200 South 8th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47807 or by clicking below.