Martin K. "Marty" Shea

1957 - 2025

Martin "Marty" K. Shea
1957 - 2025
Martin "Marty" K. Shea, age 68, passed away peacefully on September 21, 2025, in his home in Glastonbury, CT, surrounded by the love and care of his family.
He was born on March 28, 1957, in Manchester, CT, to the late Honorable John "Jack" Shea, Jr. and Grayce Shea (née Kummel). He was a Manchester boy through and through, attending and graduating from Saint James School and East Catholic High School.
Marty lived a life full of building and nurturing relationships - be they with friends, family, colleagues, clients, or fellow community members. He fiercely and unwaveringly championed those around him, always eager to lend his support, and often doing so in quiet, subtle ways. One of those most important relationships was with his beloved wife Lynn Shea (née Malinowski), whom he married in 1985 and shared 40 cherished years with. Together they welcomed sons Matthew "Matt" Shea in 1988, and Colin Shea in 1992, both of whom Marty loved deeply. He always supported them, and encouraged them to be their best selves and to follow their dreams.
He worked in the insurance industry for 45 years, beginning his career as a life insurance agent. He later transitioned to property and casualty insurance with Arthur Noel Agency, which then became Sinclair Agency, and most recently partnered with IMA Financial Group, where he served as Sr. Vice President of Sales on the CT team. He always put clients first, deeply understood their needs, and cared for them personally and professionally. He also dedicated himself to mentoring those around him.
Marty had a strong sense of civic duty and deep commitment to uplifting his community. At the time of his passing, he was serving on the Board of Directors for the Manchester Country Club, and also on the Foundation Board of Goodwin University as treasurer. At Goodwin he was a tireless advocate for students and families, passionately supporting the university food pantry, helping create an emergency relief fund to assist students with critical needs during the pandemic, and co-chairing the annual golf tournament which raised over a million dollars for student scholarships. He was also a co-founder, along with his friend Peter Harris, of the golf non-profit OAKC-Together We Tee (OAKC), which promotes access to golf and the many benefits that come with it by providing free professional instruction, gear, and club memberships to young people of color. One of his proudest accomplishments was when the organization was awarded a whopping one million dollar grant from the State of Connecticut to expand services to more families. Previously, he served as the President of the Manchester Rotary Club where he earned two Paul Harris Awards for service, on the Board of Directors for the Manchester Irish Parade Committee, the Board of Directors for the St. James School Foundation, and on the Fourth of July Manchester Fireworks Committee.
Marty lived large and lit up any room he entered. He was a man of good humor and evocative storytelling, upholding the words of his father: "never let the truth get in the way of a good story!" A devoted lifetime member of the Manchester Country Club (MCC), Marty loved to play golf. He got started at the ripe age of five, hitting the course with his Oma, and later enjoyed playing with his father, mother, sister Christine "Chrissy" Riordan, brother Daniel "Dan" Shea and lots of close friends. He was proud to be listed on the major tournament boards at MCC and to win many tournaments with his brother Dan in such places as Spain, Portugal, England and his favorite, the homeland of Ireland. He leaves behind many friends from there who have continuously lent their support and will miss him dearly. Together with Lynn, he facilitated a whole lot of fun! They often hosted friends and family for delicious meals paired with the finest wines from Marty's cellar, cocktail cruises which Marty enjoyed captaining around Columbia Lake, and some of the merriest Christmas Eve parties to ever be had. He also enjoyed a good political debate, watching Fox News, immersing himself in books, cheering on the Red Sox and the UCONN women's and men's basketball teams, and cruising around with Lynn in his much loved Mercedes convertible.
Marty's legacy will live on through the many people and lives he uplifted, the spirit of his kind, generous, enormous heart, and the many community causes he contributed to.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Kevin Shea, and later, his sister Chrissy. He is survived by his wife, Lynn; son Matt and his wife Kelsea; son Colin; brother Dan, his wife Doris, and their daughters Isabella "Izzy" Shea and Michelle Spencer; many siblings-in-law and their children; and innumerable dear friends.
Marty's family extends their heartfelt gratitude to his dedicated, compassionate oncology team at Yale New Haven Hospital, and in particular, to Dr. Scott Gettinger, for his deep care, both medical and personal. Special thanks also goes to Marty's brother-in-law, James "Jim" Malinowski, who has been a great help and comfort to the family.
All who knew Marty are invited to join in honoring and celebrating his life. A wake will be held at Tierney Funeral Home, 219 West Center Street, Manchester, CT 06040 on Sunday, September 28, 2025, from 1 - 4 pm. At a later date, the family will hold a private burial in St. Bridget Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, Marty's family requests that donations be made to OAKC (checks may be made payable to Manchester Country Club with "OAKC" in the memo line) or Goodwin University (www.goodwin.edu/foundation). For online condolences, please visit www.tierneyfuneralhome.com.