Mary Jean Shea

Mary Jean Shea, 94, went to be with Jesus on November 27, 2021, surrounded by her family. She had a vibrant, charismatic personality that will be missed by all who knew her, and her laughter could light up a room. Born and raised in her beloved Waycross, Georgia, on August 11, 1927, to parents Cecil James Osburn and Elizabeth Bennett Osburn, she later moved to Jacksonville, Florida, to work at Florida East Coast Railway where she met the love of her life, Edward Augustus Shea. They were married for 62 years.

Mary Jean was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. Her life revolved around her family and her church. She loved to crotchet and made afghans for family and friends. She was an extraordinary seamstress and was often found roaming the aisles of her favorite fabric stores. They knew her by name. In her younger days, she sewed all her children’s clothes as well as their wedding dresses, always adding a little sparkle to everything she touched. She was an accomplished artist and even wrote humorous poems for every family occasion.

She was a devout Christian, active in the Lutheran Church, altar guild, and later a member of First Baptist Church.

We know she is now with so many she loved, including her dear husband, Eddie; her parents; four brothers; and two sons-in-law.

She is survived by daughters, Donna Brown, Karen Wolfe, Jan Leary (Steve); her sisters-in-law, Doris Maltby (Clark) and Jeanette Osburn; 14 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved dearly.

A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, December 4th at 1:00 PM at Resurrection Anglican Church, 4617 San Juan Avenue. Flowers may be sent to Hardage Giddens Riverside Memorial Park & Funeral Home at 7242 Normandy Blvd. Special thanks to Community Hospice and their compassionate care team in the last days of her life.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgriversidefuneralhome.com for the Shea family.