Funeral On Saturday For Sequoyah Student Who Passed Away

CANTON, GA -- The family of a Sequoyah High School student who died earlier this week will say goodbye to the 16-year-old described as a "wonderful young man with a great smile." The celebration of life service for Shawn Roy Murphy will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at Sosebee Funeral Home in Canton.

The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Those planning to attend the service are asked to wear bright colors to honor the Sequoyah High School junior (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

"Shawn was a very bright student who was academically focused," Sequoyah Principal Elliott Berman said in a letter sent home to parents informing them of the student's passing. "He always came to class in a good mood, always willing to help out classmates. Shawn was generous, gracious and considerate to everyone."

A GoFundMe account has been established to help Murphy's family cover any expenses related to his funeral. According to his obituary, Shawn, who passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 3, was a high-functioning autistic student with a "genius IQ and was just an awesome person to be around."

"He enjoyed his cats, all types of music and reading, but most of all, he was happiest with his sisters," the obituary goes on to state. "He was such a joy and brightened the lives of his friends and family."

Shawn is survived by his parents, several siblings, grandparents, a great-grandmother and a host of uncles, aunts and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, you can either contribute to the GoFundMe page or make a donation to the Pickens County Animal Shelter at 3563 Camp Road in Jasper.

Image via GoFundMe