Katherine Ann Shea

Known as Kay for most all of her life, she was born to Charles Lawrence and Florence Regina Quigley on May 15, 1932, at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, NJ. She was preceded in death in October of this year by her beloved husband, David Thomas Shea, as well as by her dear brother, Charles William Quigley (d.1997), and her beloved sister, Marie Ann (nee Quigley) Briggs (d.2008). Kay is survived by her five children (David, Kathy, Michael, Patricia & Robert), eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews.

Following the death of her father in December 1932, Kay was raised along with her brother Charlie and her sister Marie in a home built by their maternal grandfather at 101 Park Avenue in Englewood, NJ, while her mother worked in the nursing field at Englewood Hospital. Upon graduation from St. Cecelia High School in 1950, where she had been crowned Homecoming Queen during her senior year, Kay worked as a secretary at General Products on Grand Avenue in Englewood. In June of 1954 Kay married Dave Shea, beginning a lifetime together that had first started while they were students at St. Cecelia's, and which would last for more than seventy years.

After their wedding, Kay accompanied Dave to the US Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, where Dave served as a Lieutenant until completing his service in 1956. The following summer the young couple moved back to New Jersey to raise their growing family, eventually settling in Washington Township in 1960 where they would spend the next four decades actively participating in the local community and their parish, Our Lady of Good Counsel. Kay was a devoted mother to her five children, often busy shuttling them to their activities and sports events while providing a fully loving home environment. She also volunteered much of her time to help at her children's schools as well as with church programs in her parish (delivering "Meals on Wheels" to elderly neighbors was a favorite). Kay enjoyed social time with her friend's playing cards or going to bingo nights, as well as a game of Scrabble or a board puzzle with family members during holidays. Many summer vacations were spent at the Jersey Shore, where Kay loved to spend time at the beach with her husband, family and friends. After a long life of loving, helping and nurturing others, Kay is now blessedly reunited with her equally devoted husband.

A funeral mass celebrating Kay's life and faith will be held at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, 668 Ridgewood Road, Township of Washington, NJ at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 22nd. Interment will follow at Ascension Cemetery, Airmont, NY for the immediate family members.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (www.ALZFDN.org).