Visitation
Times
5 to 9 pm Wednesday
St. Charles Center |
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Fr. Donald Shea, C.PP.S., 78, died Sunday, January 18, 2004, at 8:10 a.m. at St. Francis Health Care Center in Green Springs, OH, where he was recuperating from a heart ailment.
He was born on September 24, 1925, in Maywood, IL, the only child of Francis and Lillian (Schmeltzer) Shea. He entered formation with the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1949, after he taught history for two years at St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, IN, which is sponsored by the Congregation. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1953.
After his ordination he completed his doctorate in history at Loyola University in Chicago. Fr. Shea then returned to St. Joseph’s College in 1955 to resume teaching history. He was a history professor for the next 22 years, eventually becoming the chairman of the history department.
After working on the Ford-Dole presidential campaign in 1976, in 1977 he accepted an appointment by the Republican National Committee in Washington as its “ethnic-religious liaison,” dealing with issues relevant to all religious groups. During his years with the RNC he worked on legislation to provide tuition tax credit to aid parents of students in private and parochial schools. During most of his years in Washington, he lived at St. Anthony Church in Falls Church, VA, which was then administered by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. He helped out at the parish, presiding at Masses when his schedule allowed.
Fr. Shea left the RNC in 1983, remaining at St. Anthony Church. In 1986, he became the chaplain of the Bethany House Retreat Center in Huntly, Va. Two years later, he accepted an appointment as the program director at the Sorrowful Mother Shrine, sponsored by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, in Bellevue, OH, a position he held until his death.
Fr. Shea was bright, perceptive and an acute judge of character, said Fr. Paul White, C.PP.S., who was both Fr. Shea’s classmate in the seminary and his colleague at St. Joseph’s College. Even after many years, Fr. Shea’s former students still remember his history classes at St. Joseph. Students looked forward to his unique teaching style, which was both exacting and entertaining. During one history seminar, Fr. White said, Fr. Shea was famous around campus for taking his students outside, next to a pond. While they watched he would tear up a set of their papers and throw them into the pond, a powerful reminder to them that he expected only their best work.
Services will be held for Fr. Shea both in Bellevue, where he served at the shrine for many years, and at St. Charles Center in Carthagena, OH. Visitation at Bellevue will be held Tuesday, January 20, at the Sorrowful Mother Shrine chapel from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m., with a wake service at 8 p.m.
A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m.Wednesday, January 21, at St. Michael Church, 16209 County Rd. 46, Bellevue, with the Rev. William Eilerman, C.PP.S., officiating. Fr. John Nagele, C.PP.S., will serve as homilist.
Foos Funeral Home, Bellevue, OH, is in charge of the Bellevue arrangements.
In Carthagena, visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 21, at St. Charles Center from 5-9 p.m., with a wake service at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be held Thursday, January 22, at 2 p.m. in the Assumption Chapel at St. Charles, with the Rev. Kenneth Schnipke, C.PP.S., officiating. Fr. James McCabe, C.PP.S., will serve as homilist.
Burial will follow in the Community cemetery at St. Charles.
Hogenkamp and Sons Funeral Home, St. Henry is in charge of the Carthagena arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sorrowful Mother Shrine, Bellevue, OH.
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