Tributes continue to pour in for Michael Shawn Youens, who was the owner of Ducati Models, a photo retoucher and graphic designer at Falcon Studios, and a longtime volunteer for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who honored him as a Saint. He passed on November 15 after suffering a heart attack.
Sister Roma was a close friend of Youens, who was also known as Shante Bouvier. The two often attended community events together. Roma wrote, in part, via social media: “I owe you so much. You were the best friend anyone could ever ask for. I’m so lucky to have had you by my side for 30 years. We traveled the world together. We could communicate with a glance. Through the good times and the bad, you were the one person I could rely on. You were such a rock, such a joy, such an inspiration. I hope you know how much I admired you for your sense of humor, your work ethic, your love of life, your loyalty, and your resilience.”
Roma added, “I don’t think a lot of people even know that you lost your mom in a car accident at age 5. Or that you served on the U.S.S. Blueback in the Navy. Or that when you found sobriety you went to work unloading trucks at Target. You were humble and hardworking and determined to be a better person. You made me want to be a better person.”
Born in Dallas, Youens and his family moved to Arizona where he was the mascot—a Sabercat—for the Saguaro High School football team. Already his artistic and social skills were evident. In the mid-1990s he moved to San Francisco. Over the years he worked for Gloss Magazine, Sundance Cinemas, AMC Theatres, and more before focusing on design at Falcon Studios.
He also spent countless hours volunteering for LGBTQ community-serving nonprofits such as Tenderloin Tessie, the AIDS Emergency Fund, and the Castro Country Club. An animal lover, he additionally volunteered for the SPCA.
Sister Roma is among those planning the “Michael Youens’ Celebration of Larger-Than-Life” at The Academy SF on January 13, 2024. A GoFundMe has been created to help with the celebration: https://tinyurl.com/22ftprfs
In Memoriam
Published on December 21, 2023; updated on December 29, 2023
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