January 03, 1924 - July 08, 2015
Born January 3, 1924, in Cloquet, Minnesota, to Raymond and Margaret Shea, he passed on July 8, 2015, at 91 1/2 years young in Spokane, Washington, where he spent the majority of his adult life. He loved the outdoors, swimming, ski jumping, and especially playing with his kids, grandkids and his pets! He spent time in the Navy and traveled around the world two times. Honorably discharged from the Navy on the Washington coast, he had fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest after having spent time at Farragut Naval Base, Bayview, Idaho. He went back to finish high school at Spokane Trade School (later Spokane Community College) and met his future wife Marjorie Helen Nicol, who happened to be his typing teacher! After graduation, he attended Washington State University in Pullman majoring in architecture. He didn't want to work indoors and became a sheet metal mechanic instead marrying Mom (the typing teacher). He was proud of his trade and started the tradition of building sheet metal pieces of art (he worked with the local union) and had them displayed on a float for the annual Labor Day Parade in Spokane. He started out with a "Tin Man", added a wagon and then added musical instruments. This parade tradition was picked up by the National Sheet Metal Union and is now done throughout the United States. He is survived by his four children, Donna Schmidlkofer (husband Wayne), Tom (wife Karen), Janet and Patty Shea. He is a beloved Dad and Grandfather to six grandchildren and Great-Grandpa to four great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his younger brother Maurice F. "Dennis" Shea, one niece and three nephews. He was looking forward to being with Mom who transitioned in 2008. Mom's favorite saying and I'm sure she was saying it as he arrived, "Oh Happy Day!"
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