Charles William "Charlie" Shea

Pawcatuck - Charles William Shea, 95, passed away peacefully at home June 29, 2024. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Joan Shea; brother Bob Shea; sisters, Betty Urso and Marga Higgins; and parents, Sebastian and Marguerite Shea. He is survived by his children, Mark Shea, of Pawcatuck; Rosie Arseneault and her husband Tom, of McLean, Va.; Maureen Pettini and her husband Michael, of Stonington; and Martin Shea and his wife Rebecca, of Pawcatuck. "Poppy" will always be remembered and deeply missed by his grandchildren: Michael, Molly, Meghan and her husband Ian, Mary, Keelin, Kip, Sabrina, Brigitte, and Henry.

Charlie was a graduate of St. Michael School, Stonington High School, and Providence College. In 1947, he was the second-leading scorer in the Eastern Connecticut Conference, and he went on to play basketball for two seasons at Providence. In 2015, Charlie was inducted into the Stonington High School Hall of Fame for his achievements in cross-country, track, football, and basketball. He also loved to play tennis and was a regular at Pond View Racquet Club in Westerly. During the Korean War, Charlie served in the U.S. Army in Eritrea. He often regaled friends and family with stories of his time in the Army, especially climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and traveling to the Taj Mahal in India.

Charlie owned and operated Shea's Office Products in Pawcatuck, Mystic, and Wakefield for nearly 50 years. Though Shea's closed its doors nearly 20 years ago, locals still fondly remember Charlie grilling hotdogs outside of the store on hot summer days as a thank you to customers, and handing out Ticonderoga pencils and Snickers bars on Halloween.

Charlie and Joan celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2023. They shared a beautiful love story and life together, and were nearly inseparable in their golden years. Nothing was more important to them than their family. They spent their time building strong bonds and creating wonderful memories with their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Their door was always open to anyone in need of a hot meal, a listening ear, or a good laugh. Both Charlie and Joan shared a deep love for their parish, St. Michael the Archangel Church in Pawcatuck. They attended daily Mass for decades, and Charlie often filled in as an altar server and as a Eucharistic Minister and Lector for many years. Charlie spent his entire life residing in Pawcatuck, and his commitment – both professionally and personally – to the local community will never be forgotten. He was an active member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and once served as president of his local chapter. He never lost his quick wit and wonderful sense of humor, and was a loyal friend to all. He will be dearly missed, but forever remembered for the impact he made on everyone who knew and loved him.

Visiting hours are omitted. A Funeral Liturgy will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, July 19, at St. Michael Church, Pawcatuck. Burial will follow at St. Michael Cemetery, Pawcatuck. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to St. Michael Church, 60 Liberty St., Pawcatuck, CT 06379 in remembrance of Charlie. Gaffney-Dolan Funeral Home, 59 Spruce Street, Westerly is in charge of the arrangements. For online condolences, please visit www.gaffneydolanfuneralhome.com.