Obituary for Reverend Shawn Orrin Brandon

Celebrating the Life of Rev. Shawn Orrin Brandon

Reverend Shawn Orrin Brandon—beloved husband and father, devoted pastor, mentor, and friend to many—passed away suddenly on April 13, 2026, at home. He is survived by his husband, Reverend Morris “Mo” Goff, his daughter Emma Brandon, his former spouse, Kimberly Lundberg (Mike Lundberg) nee Brandon, his brother Chris Bork and niece Amanda Bork, and many beloved friends, cherished parishioners, and devoted colleagues. Not least of which, he is also survived by Lola, the adoring beagle shared with his husband. Shawn is predeceased by his mother Margaret “Maggie” Neva Sonstegard nee Brandon and his siblings Scotty, Shelly, and Sandy Ramberg.

At the time of his death, Rev. Brandon was serving as pastor to the saints of The Church of the Nativity and Holy Comforter (Baltimore, MD). Previously, he had served the saints of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church (Columbia, MD), Gloria Dei! Lutheran Church (Arnold, MD), and the Baudette Lutheran Parish (Baudette, MN). He also spent meaningful time among the saints of All Saints Lutheran Church (Bowie, MD).

Shawn led a life not only as a faithful servant of Christ but also as a bold example of God’s love. He was born in Norfolk, VA, to Maggie Sonstegard on May 8, 1966, where she was stationed as a member of the Women’s Army Corps. They soon moved to Baudette, MN, where he grew up and attended school with the same classmates since second grade. Upon his high school graduation, he spent a year abroad in Ålesund, Norway, then attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where he graduated with a degree in Music Education. Returning home to Baudette as the choir director for First Lutheran Church, Shawn met and married Kimberly Kimball. They moved to St. Paul, MN, where they welcomed their daughter, Emma Grace. Later, he attended and earned a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, with a stint serving as the secretary to the Bishop of the St. Paul Area Synod. He was ordained into the Ministry of Word and Sacrament on August 23, 2003, at First Lutheran Church in Baudette, MN.

Shawn was a compassionate, devoted servant of the Lord and will be remembered for his unselfish dedication, his grace and poise, and his passion for music. It was his love of music, especially choral music, that drew him to participate in numerous choirs throughout his life, including the Concordia Choir in Moorhead, MN, Thomas Circle Singers in Washington, DC, the Arundel Vocal Arts Society in Annapolis, MD, and most recently the New Wave Singers of Baltimore in Baltimore, MD, who will perform a tribute to him at his memorial service.

In 2010, Shawn met Mo Goff who would become the love of his life. They met at an assembly of ReconcilingWorks (ne Lutherans Concerned) in Minneapolis, MN, where “their eyes met during opening worship” giving proof that love at first sight does exist. After spending fifteen months long distance with hours-long phone conversations every night and trips to be together every four to six weeks, Shawn moved to Washington, DC, in October 2011 to be with his beloved Mo. They were married on August 18, 2012, at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in a “Big Fat Lutheran Wedding” as they would call it. They also shared a passion for unique experiences from Holy Week in Rome then Jerusalem, to many other adventures around the world. As true ‘church nerds’, they never missed an opportunity to deepen their faith while traveling, including one incident while traveling in the steps of the Apostle Paul, Shawn drew the concerned attention of local Turkish authorities in Ephesus when he spontaneously led a group of Lutherans in singing the Doxology at St. John’s Basilica. Shawn and Mo enjoyed simply exploring their surroundings in Washington, DC, Annapolis, and Baltimore. Theirs was indeed a love story.

Shawn was fiercely dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community. He would offer counseling and friendship to those who have been rejected because of who they love or how they identify. Shawn was always ready to share the grace of God and offer spiritual guidance to anyone who needed to feel the love of God. He was and remains a beacon of hope for LGBTQ+ Christians. He was a faithful and enthusiastic member of Proclaim, a network of LGBTQ+ Lutheran clergy offering mutual support and friendship nationwide and was always ready to support LGBTQ+ candidates for ministry knowing that their journey to ordination could be a difficult one.

Shawn lived his life true to his baptismal calling… to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. His favorite saint was St. Francis of Assisi, and he would often quote from the Prayer often attributed to St. Francis. True to this spirit, Shawn was indeed an instrument of God’s peace, for which we and all of creation could declare: “Thanks be to God!” Amen.

A service celebrating the life of Rev. Shawn Brandon will be held on April 25, 2026, at 1:00 PM at Zion Church of the City of Baltimore, 400 East Lexington Street, in Baltimore, MD, which will be livestreamed and recorded by going to A Celebration of Rev. Shawn Brandon. A repast will follow with sandwiches and drinks provided; you are welcome to bring fruit, vegetables, sides, savories, or desserts to share. Clergy and members of the Order of St. Stephen are invited to vest and process in white stoles (if that is one’s tradition). 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Church of the Nativity and Holy Comforter, Proclaim of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, or the New Wave Singers of Baltimore.