Richard Allen Shea Sr

On warm spring afternoons in the early 1970s, there was a school bus that was likely to stop for ice cream with students in Willimantic. The kids would pile out so their bus driver could buy them each an ice cream. The driver of the bus, Richard Allen Shea, was born at Windham Hospital on June 6, 1935 to Thomas and Lena (Kennison) Shea. He grew up in Willimantic with his siblings: Hazel (Whitehouse) Coriaty , Elmer Sonny Shea, Thomas Shea, James Shea, Francis Shea, Joan (Shea) Beaudoin & Leo Moe Shea. He graduated from Windham High School in 1953, where he was a star basketball player. He worked as an operator at Pratt & Whitney in the 1960 s and retired from Northeast Utilities after serving 21 years. After his retirement he worked at the Windham Public Library. Throughout his life, he loved working with children as a part-time school bus driver for the Windham Public Schools District, a little league baseball coach & umpire. In 1956 he married Joan Marie White; this past Thursday, September 8th, he signed a card himself celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary. Together they provided a loving home to six children, always living a stone s throw from the Little League Fields. In the rare instances when he wasn t coaching or umpiring, Rich was watching games and sneaking money to the kids to buy treats at the snack bar. He became Poppa with the birth of his first of sixteen grandchildren. This was a job he took most seriously, believing it his duty always to have a bag of M&Ms in his shirt pocket. He chauffeured his grandchildren to orthodontist appointments, religious education, practices, and birthday parties. He attended band concerts, first communions, and, of course, Little League games without fail. He provided the donuts and cartoons every Sunday after church, and felt it was a wasted week if he didn t show up to see them with a surprise delivery of french fries. On Friday afternoon, September 9th, he was surrounded by his family when the Lord called his name after a ferocious 19-week fight. His sense of humor and endless capacity for love will be deeply missed and never forgotten by those he left behind: his wife Joan, of North Windham, brother Franny and sister-in-law Nancy, brother Sonny and sister-in-law Olive, sister-in-law Sandra, sister-in-law Lois; his six children and grandchildren, daughter Judy Shea-Ursin and partner Andrea Perreault , grandson Tyler Ursin, son Richard and wife Sue, grandchildren Ryan, Scott, Matthew, Marc, Allen and Sarah; son Steven and wife Karen, grandchildren Cody, Mitchell Wallace and Danielle; son Thomas, grandsons Zachary and Jeffrey; son Robert and grandson Owen, son Jonathan and wife Maggie, grandchildren Madison and Camden; as well as many nieces, nephews, and countless friends. He was awaited in heaven by his other brothers and sisters, as well as his granddaughter Elizabeth. Rich s family would like to thank each member of the staff of Hartford Hospital s Bliss 9I and C9EI for the dignity and love you gave him and our family in his final weeks. His family will receive friends at the Potter Funeral Home 456 Jackson St. (Rte. 195) Willimantic on Tuesday September 13th between 5:00 and 8:00pm. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday September 14th at 9:00am at St. Joseph Church , 99 Jackson St. Willimantic, with interment following in St. Joseph Cemetery, Windham. A celebration of Rich s life will follow the interment service at the Elk s Club on Pleasant St. in Willimantic, and all who loved him are invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Elizabeth Cecilia Shea Memorial Endowed Fund, c/o Connecticut Children s Medical Center Foundation, 12 Charter Oak Place, Hartford CT 06106.