Mary T. Shea

Waltham – Mrs. Mary T. (Rooney) Shea, of Waltham, died Saturday, December 8, 2012 at her home. She was 79.

Mary was born in Medford on July 15, 1933, a daughter of the late John and Delia (Beatty) Rooney. She grew up in Saint Joseph's Parish in Medford and graduated from Saint Clement's High School in Somerville.

In 1953 she met her future husband, Watertown native Dick Shea, at a Lenox Hotel dance in Boston. Three years later, on June 16, 1956, the pair married at Saint Joseph's in Medford and the couple settled in Waltham where they would raise their family and have been residents since.

Mary had many passions in life . . . first and foremost caring for her husband and children, and later for her grandchildren who affectionately called her 'Mimi'. In 1980 after her children were older she took up a second career working as a receptionist at Stanton Medical Associates in Brighton. Mary quickly became a fixture in the office and greeted patients and their families with warmth, compassion, humor and a smile . . . her gentle kindness and genuine concern eased the fears of the most anxious patient.

She was also active in the lives of her family and her parish. She belonged to the Ladies Sodality and volunteered for years with the 1000 Club at Saint Jude's Church in Waltham. She loved to read and to shop and have dinner out with Dick and her family. Later years were special when Wednesdays became dinner date nights with the grandchildren. After the birth of her first three grandchildren, all boys, Mary was overjoyed at the arrival of her beautiful granddaughters, allowing her free reign for the first time in years to shop for pink and purple and pastels for the girls.

In addition to her husband of 56 years, Richard P. Shea, she leaves her children, Paula M. LaCrosse and her husband, Stewart, of Waltham, Richard P. Shea, Jr. of Winthrop and John W. Shea and his wife, Diane, of Needham and her grandchildren, James S. LaCrosse and his fiancé Kaitlin Cotter, Michael J. LaCrosse, Daniel J. LaCrosse, Maeve F. Shea and Luisa M. Shea.

Mary was also the sister of the late Grace Veronica Rooney.

Family and friends will honor and remember Mary's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Wednesday, December 12th from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in Grove Hill Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168.